Reclamation: Genesis
by DragonsManticoresAndGiantsOhMy
Summary: AU. Halo/Mass Effect merged crossover. The galaxy, like much of the universe, is in a constant cycle of birth, destruction and rebirth. No guarantee our civilization is any different. We know others have come before us and perished at their height. What destroyed them? Could it destroy us as well? One human might be our savior, but he needs to grow up a bit first.
1. Prologue: Tell Me A Story, Stargazer

**Location: Unknown; Date: Unknown**

"I thought I told you no simulations during meals? That's how accidents happen."

A young human shrank back under his mother's glare and quickly pocketed the device in an attempt to appease her. It didn't work.

"You spend far too much time on that thing anyways. There's a real galaxy out here."

The woman's father smiled at the interaction, relishing how the tables had turned on his daughter. It seemed like only yesterday that she had been the same age and he had lectured her for similar bad habits. Now her offspring would drive her mad and give her gray hairs before she hit her second century.

"This is really delicious, Natasha." His attention was drawn to his daughter's spouse and his complimenting of the meal. The man had to agree. His son had chosen well in a mate. Smart, driven, and clearly gifted in the culinary arts. Which was a blessing since his son would starve if left to his own devices. Really, how does one screw up a nutrient shake?

His daughter in law smiled at the recognition and shared her secrets. "It's the mixture of Thessian and Sanghelian spices. Really gives the vegetables kick."

To his left his wife, the love of his long-lived life and the mother to his two children, nodded and wondered out loud "Who would have ever thought those two would go together?"

"What do you mean, grandmother?" The man smiled at his youngest grandchild. Inquisitive and bright. A natural curiosity to learn. Frowning again he remembered how the same child never missed a single detail, much to the detriment and embarrassment of all.

"Long ago the people of Thessia and Sanghelios didn't get along. It took a while for them to learn not to fight each other." His wife's adoration shone through in her patient explanation to the child who soaked up her words like a sponge.

The child's eyes widened, eager to learn more. "Really? Why?"

"I've learned about that in my studies lately." His eldest grandchild responded to her cousin, eager to impart her wisdom.

The young man who had browsed through simulations earlier joined in the conversation. The old man knew how this grandchild was enthralled with the stories of ages past where heroes fought across the stars. The vids made it sound so romantic. So clean. "The Great War?"

His mother rebuked him yet again and the old man had to suppress his chuckle. He could practically see the strands of her hair turning from a glossy black to a bright gray before his eyes. "There was nothing 'Great' about that war."

"Grandfather, is that the one about the Shepard?" The small child's elation shone through in her words. He'd never admit it but she was his favorite. So much like his own sister when they were children. Full of life and happiness. And more than a bit of a hero-worship for the 'Shepard'.

His wife narrowed her eyes and glared at him. Even after all of these decades that look could make him question if apologizing would be a good idea even if he knew he'd done nothing wrong. "You've been telling stories again, haven't you dear?"

The man shrugged. It's not like he told them anything explicit. Just the usual sort of stories about the greatest hero the galaxy had ever know. He fondly remembered his own youth and how his own grandfather would tell these tales. That man had a way with storytelling, rest his soul.

His oldest grandchild voiced her thoughts again, this time taking a critical view "Most of the stuff I've read really doesn't make the Shepard sound so heroic." Her three younger cousins glared at the attack on their hero. "Many of the things he did where questionable and the ones that were not were just luck. He happened to be in the right place at the right time."

The man nodded and watched his grandchildren absorb that bit of information. He remembered when his own illusions about the man were shattered by truth but once he had recovered he saw that the Shepard was something greater. This hero wasn't some perfect god from antiquity. He was mortal and placed in incredible situations that decided the fate of the galaxy. "And if he hadn't of been there none of us might be here today."

The younger children's eyes widened in fear as they processed what he meant and the old man could have kicked himself for being so flippant with his response. Glancing at his wife he knew what was coming next. "Well done. Scare them. This is turning out to be a lovely topic of discussion over dinner."

His youngest grandchild frowned, looking at the adults seated at the table for reassurance. "So the Shepard wasn't a hero?"

Giving the child what he craved the man smiled and nodded. "He was that and more. A single man who changed the galaxy but still just a man."

Tilting her head curiously, his favorite asked "Did you know him?"

The silence that fell over the table was only interrupted by the low hum of the drones cleaning in the kitchen.

Then as one all the adults, minus the old man, erupted into laughter. At his expense, of course. The man frowned, his pride wounded. He knew better than to place the anger on the small girl. She was innocent of knowing how insulting her question would be. But his wife, children and their spouses? Fair game and he glared at them all.

His wife showed the immunity she had built to his displeasure and needled him. "You certainly asked for that one."

Sighing, the man swallowed back his annoyance and put on a smile for the small girl, his favorite. "I may be old but I'm not that old." His smile widening he continued "When I was your age my own grandfather told me the tales of the Shepard."

Her face lit with recognition as she deduced her place in this cycle. "And now you're telling me." The girl frowned and thought it through. "But I don't want to get old so I have to tell my grandbabies."

His oldest child leaned forward and contemplated his father's words. "I always wondered where you had learned those stories from. So where did he learn them from?"

The old man smiled mysteriously, knowing his cryptic words would only cause them to speculate more "He may have learned them from someone who knew the stories as real history."

Practically bouncing in his seat, the young man blurted out "Was it the Turian hero? Or the Krogan Warlord?"

Frowning at her cousin's exuberance, his oldest grandchild shook her head and began deducing who it could be "It couldn't be. It was so long ago. It had to be the Asari scientist. She might have been a very old Matriarch when our ancestor was a boy."

Smiling at the discussion he had fostered, the old man leaned forward, knowing all would be awaiting his next words. He paused and glanced at his wife, who looked bored. Well, mostly everyone. "I'll tell you what. Continue your meals and I'll tell the true tale of the Shepard."

His favorite looked like she might pass out from joy "Really?"

"Really" He smiled indulgently at her. Clearing his throat he continued, his audience, young and old captivated already. "So to understand the hero you must understand the man. And to understand the man you must understand his beginnings. When he was a boy..."

"He was a boy?" His favorite looked perplexed. As if the concept of her hero ever being like the annoying boys she knew was an affront to everything she knew.

The old man laughed and nodded "Of course he was a boy, my love. What? Did you think they grew him in a lab to be the perfect soldier?"

"That happens later on." His wife's bored tone interrupted his storytelling.

As one the table shifted their shocked glances between the two of them, unsure if she had been joking or not.

The old man glared again and again his wife ignored it's meaning. "You're ruining the story, dear."

She waved his concerns off with a sickeningly sweet and fake smile. "Forgive me, love. I've heard you ramble on and on about this so many times before that I forget others have yet to become tired of hearing it. Please, by all means, carry on. He was a boy. The planet was Mindoir."

His eyes narrowed and he knew for sure she was testing his patience. "I was getting to that part, dear."

With a roll of her eyes and sigh she acquiesced "Well then get to it while the children are still young enough to care, love."

He stared at her for another beat, fuming silently, but then shook it off and continued. "Right. So he was a boy."

"And the planet was Mindoir." The youngest child showed his inquisitive and sharp mind at the worst possible moment.

Pointing at the child the old man whined to his wife, "See? You're already ruining the story."

Staring at her lover of nearly three centuries the woman sighed, wondering out loud "How have we managed to stay together this long?"

Ignoring her question the old man continued "Right. So, the Shepard is a boy on Mindoir. The year is 2570."

This time his own daughter interrupted, her mind finding an odd detail to hone in on. "Is that galactic calendar or terran?"

Speaking to her aunt the oldest grandchild yet again displayed her wealth of knowledge "It has to be terran. They still used that up until a few decades after the war. Something about politics and pride."

Finally losing his battle with his temper, the old man growled to the table at large, "Do you want to hear the story or not?"

The table went silent and slowly nodded.

Blowing out a breathe to regain his composure, the old man continued "Shepard. Boy. Mindoir. 2570." With a glare at his own daughter he specified, "Old Terran Calendar. He's only sixteen years old and his future is about to begin taking shape..."

* * *

Author's note: This is the beginning of an idea that has bounced around in my head for, well, years. I've never attempted to write anything like this before so I would appreciate any assistance or pointers people could offer. I'll try and update this at least once every other week.


	2. Outer Colony, Inner Turmoil

**Author's Note: A huge acknowledgment to General User on the Bioware forums for the creative and in depth Mindoir write up based upon David Weber's works. Coming across these ideas was the catalyst that gave form to the ideas bouncing around in my head concerning this story. I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude for the incredible work they did.**

**Also, this will be the set template for the story. A chapter broken down into chunks with location, date and time stamps. Following this will be a series of Codex Entries to display information about the AU universe I've created by merging Mass Effect and Halo. I've done a lot of editing and creative interpretation to fuse the two stories together and give it my own spin. If this somehow offends your delicate sensibilities then this will not be the story for you. I hope to tone down the amount of Codex Entries as the story goes on but these first few chapters will require an extensive dumping of information for you, the reader, to better understand what I am trying to do here. If there is a topic you do not see covered after the first few chapters please bear with me. Either I have miscalculated what information would be prudent to introduce or I am attempting to preserve a bit of mystery of the story setting.**

**That leads me to another important bit of information to get out of the way. This story will be entirely from Shepard's point of view in order to limit your knowledge of what is going on. Granted, most of you know the Halo and Mass Effect universes well enough that you'll anticipate what is coming next, but I do hope to throw in enough twists and surprises to keep you happy. Plus you get a lot of extended internal musing on what good ol' Shep thinks about things and people.  
**

**So with all that said, time to dive into the mind of a teenage colonial boy who is going to grow up to become the savior of the galaxy. Warning. Neither he nor some of your other favorite characters from either series will be perfect or squeaky clean. Expect a lot of darkness and the nastier side of life everywhere.**

* * *

**Nouveau Basel, Mindoir, Malawi System, Maroon Sea; May 19th 2570 [Standardized Terran Calendar], 0659 [Local Time, Terran Standard]**

"_-and highs in the mid thirties. Expect light rain this evening with chances of thunderstorms for those of you along the foothills and in the mountains. This weather and traffic update brought to you by Binder's Fischmarkt in Nouveau Basel. Local, Earth and exotic aquatic food to match any taste, visit Binder's Fischmarkt today for something delicious tonight. It's now seven in the morning, local time. Time to get up if you're not one of the unlucky few already out and about. To help you get out of bed and starting your day here is the Dramaxeens with 'Dance Like You're Dusted'._"

I slapped the main function button on my omnitool to turn off the incessant droning of a radio jockey's annoyingly chipper voice and the throbbing pulse of bass from Wards style electronic dance music. The only reason I chose this channel for my alarm was because it could make the dead rise from their graves. Mostly from annoyance.

Fortunately, I wasn't dead. Instead I was face down in a pillow with a cold wet stickiness along my cheek. Pulling my head away I felt a damp spot where I had been laying seconds ago.

Ugh. Great. I drooled in my sleep. Again.

Opening my eyes I shut them quickly as the soft purple white light of dawn on Mindoir was an unwelcome sight for my sleep encrusted eyes. I rubbed them as I sat up and then instinctively extended my arms above my head to stretch out the kinks from sleep. All I did was succeed in coaxing a long and drawn out yawn that I could feel in my chest. I needed to get up before I fell back asleep.

Dragging myself out of bed I trudged to the bathroom, intent on splashing cold water on my face to help wake up. Stepping out into the hallway I nearly collided with the house keeping drone as it hovered past. The drone swerved out of the way and continued along, but I suffered a bit of a shock and jumped out of the way only to stub my toe on the doorframe. Grumbling and swearing to myself about worthless damn machines I continued on my path to the upstairs restroom. After a morning ritual of brushing my teeth, washing my face and emptying my bladder I proceeded downstairs to put a kettle of water on to boil. Oatmeal and hot chocolate sounded good. I'd make sure to leave enough water in the kettle for several cups of coffee.

Dad is going to need it. I grimaced at the thought of what shape he'd be in.

I contemplated if I should actually make food for anyone else but thought better of it. Ari could eat toast or plain cereal. After the remarks she made about my efforts to cook last night the little brat could handle that for herself.

Grabbing the kettle from the stove top I popped the lid off and placed it under the faucet in the kitchen sink. Turning the tap on I lifted my gaze to the window above the sink to take in the view of our long dirt and gravel driveway that lead to the main road we lived off of. On either side were the fields of soy, corn, rye, and wheat our family grew. Out back near the irrigation canals were smaller plots of grapes, bananas, apples and cocoa. We might live in Nouveau Basel with a tropical climate but genetically engineered crops and automated harvesting drones made it a non issue. Tapping the window brought up the display of the conditions this morning on the farm. Everything seemed to be in order so I tapped the glass again to dismiss the display. How did people ever get by before they had this stuff?

Sighing and looking around I noticed mom's sky car parked in it's usual spot but dad's terrestrial SUV was nowhere in sight.

My early morning grogginess faded into panic. Shit. Shit. Triple shit. Dad wasn't home yet and mom was home early. She usually returned home later in the afternoon from her 'trips' to Elysium.

I quickly turned the faucet off, my thoughts of breakfast long gone. I ran up the stairs, taking the steps two at a time, pausing only at the top landing to hear muffled voices coming from my parent's room. The locking mechanism for their room was a bright lurid green. Unlocked.

Hesitantly I activated the door and poked my head in to see my mother and sister in an embrace on the edge of of the bed. My sister sat molded to Mom's hip, her arms wrapped around Mom's midsection and head leaning on her shoulder. Mom had her cheek resting on the crown of Ari's head. Her arms enveloped my sister's narrow shoulders, squeezing her in a motherly hug. They rocked back an forth gently as they seemed to talk about something I couldn't quite make out.

The morning glow coming from the window behind them framed the visual perfectly. A sacred moment that made me feel like an intruder. The only thing ruining the scene was the dull blue glow of an activated holo on the nightstand. A frozen moment from years ago and happier times.

A younger version of my parents stood shoulder to shoulder with my father holding an infant Ari in his arms while Mom had arms around my big sister Lizzy and me.

"Luis?"

My eyes snapped back to my mother who had taken notice of my presence. Whatever precious moment that was transpiring here was gone. In it's place a suffocating tension that seemed to be more and more common around the house filled the room. Mom tried to convey her joy in seeing me but the guilt in her eyes reminded me of where she had been and why my father was somewhere sleeping off an all night bender.

I couldn't maintain eye contact with her. I chose to lower my head and leave them be.

"I'll go put the water on." It was a lame excuse to leave but I still loved my mother and didn't want to start off the day by hurting her with my anger. Not in front of Ari, at least.

* * *

**Nouveau Basel, Mindoir, Malawi System, Maroon Sea; May 19th 2570 [Standardized Terran Calendar], 0745 [Local Time, Terran Standard]**

Mother and daughter dug into a pile of waffles they had made. Or, more like, my mother had attempted to teach my sister but Ari was too impatient and hungry to learn. It was rather adorable family bonding if you didn't count the whole part about Mom having just returned less than an hour ago from seeing her 'special friend'.

I sighed to myself as I dug into my bowl of oatmeal. Maybe I was being a cynical teenage prick. No matter what her transgressions against the family were she was still my mother.

"Mijo, are you sure you don't want any?" By this point it was apparent she was trying to make a peace offering with syrup coated goodness. Or fulfilling some sort of motherly guilt complex.

"Nope. I'm fine with oatmeal." My reply was blunt. Yep. Definitely a cynical teenage prick. I tried to keep my tone sounding normal, which, if you've ever tried means it sounded nothing of the sort. Or maybe that was just to my ears.

Her resigned nod and downcast eyes let me know it wasn't.

"Whatever. More for me!" Ari managed to say around a mouthful of waffle. Bless her oblivious little heart.

She proceeded to drench her next victim in enough syrup to make me wonder if she might put a dent into the reserves of Mindoir.

"Araceli Lindsay Shepard! What have I told you about talking and chewing at the same time? And you don't need that much syrup! Most of it will just stay on your plate when you're done!" Mom let rip her trademark annoyed bark punctuated by a sigh before she composed herself. That only happened when her nerves were starting to fray from exhaustion and frustration. I guess the days of traveling back and forth between clusters were getting to her?

Ari's delicate features scrunched up with childish pleading as she shrugged. Her exaggerated motions causing her dark brown curls to bounce and sway, the illuminated strands woven in pulsing in rhythm with the movements. Which was a stark contrast to the way she went back to chewing her meal like one of the cattle on the other side of the county.

Mom rested her face in the palm of her hand and breathed deeply. Ari's chewing slowed as she seemed to have finally caught on to the fact that all was not right in the house.

For my part, I just continued to eat my oatmeal, grateful for the silence that followed as it gave me time to think. The drones needed their firmware updated and a thorough maintenance before harvesting next week. I also had a report and presentation due on Friday about the Interplanetary War and the implications it had on how the Systems Alliance and UNSC handled secessionists and insurrectionists. I'd put it off for so long because, really, I'm a farm kid on Mindoir. When is knowing this ever going to be important for me?

Apparently others were not as appreciative of the silence. Ari had begun to tap her fork against the plate in some rhythmic pattern but I had no clue what it was. In fact I was pretty sure she was just making it up as she went and it showed. We could scratch musical talent off the list of possible gifts my sister possessed.

Mom cleared her throat before sending a less than subtle glare towards my sister to make her stop. Turning her attention to me she softened her gaze and asked "What about you? Any plans for today?"

I shrugged, not at all interested in making conversation right now, instead focusing my eyes on my nearly empty bowl and stirring the mixture of oatmeal, craisins and almonds. I still couldn't keep eye contact without feeling angry and then guilty for my anger towards her. But I knew enough to know that Hannah Gonzalez-Shepard wouldn't let me slide much longer with short responses and body language. I had to appease her now to avoid her wrath later so I thought about her question. "I dunno. Probably get started on the prep work for the harvest. Maybe head into town for a bit."

Ari perked up at this, practically bouncing in her seat with excitement. "Oh! Can I go? I want to go!" She begged and pleaded with our mother. "Please, mom? Please?"

Annoyed with my sister just inviting herself along with me acting as chaperone I glared at her. "I said maybe I'd go. Besides you always complain abut having to walk."

"Knock it off, both of you." Mom's frayed patience was more and more obvious. Just how ugly the confrontation would be this morning when dad walked in was beginning to worry me. "Take your sister with you. Your father can start the prep work. Whenever he decides to show up."

Oh shit. I grimaced at the implied threat of my mother having a discussion with my father whenever he got home. Maybe getting Ari out of the house was a good idea.

"I'm going to shower and get ready so if you're coming you need to hurry up." After directing my comment to Ari I practically bolted from my seat, sure to toss my dishes into the dishwasher before pilfering a carrot from the fridge. I was not about to become a target for my mother's building rage.

After a quick shower I dressed in a pair of jeans and a t shirt for the '68 Summer Olympics held in New Alexandria. My Tia Alicia and her family had attended as part of her job working for the Systems Alliance's diplomatic corps attached to the ambassador's office on the Citadel. She managed wrangle quite a few free items relating to the event and all I merited was this shirt. I had worn it around the house a couple of days ago so I gave it an experimental sniff. Yep. Still clean. Finishing off the ensemble with my dirty work boots I looked in the mirror and found my reflection to be like any teenage colonial boy that dressed himself. Disheveled and possibly homeless.

Frowning at my image I ran my hand through my hair and blew out a breath of frustration. There was nothing I could do about the thick wavy mess that I called hair. Mom had pretty much forbidden me from cutting it short because, as she said, '_only Terminus criminals and UNSC soldiers wear their hair like that._' She was also of the belief that girls would love it as I got older. Said it would make me look dashing like my grandfather and uncle. Considering the stunning lack of girlfriends in my life history it showed what she knows. Forget dashing I would settle for it making my big ears look smaller.

I looked off to the side of my room towards the maze of clear plastic tubes and boxes that was the home of my hamster, Spud. I grabbed the carrot from earlier and used it to tap on the wall of the main compartment but he continued to lay there like a fuzzy brown version of his namesake. Popping the carrot through a feeding slot certainly got his attention. He bolted from his prone position and straddled the carrot greedily, hiding it from me as he began nibbling on the edge near his head. Periodically he would stop and raise his head to look at me accusingly, like I was going to steal his meal.

And that about summed up our relationship. I fed him and cleaned his cage while he alternated between ignoring me or believing I was a thief out take the very food I gave him.

Sighing at the lack of respect I seemed to get even from my pet I turned and walked out of my room. I heard the sound of the water system being activated meaning Ari had jumped in the shower so I had time to kill. I contemplated going downstairs to ask mom if I could borrow her sky car but she still wouldn't let me forget the last time my big sister Lizzy came home from Earth.

Mom had wanted me to show off that I learned how to drive by driving us home from the space port. Which is ridiculous since skycars mostly pilot themselves but I wasn't complaining. However, Lizzy had been in a bad mood the moment she got off the shuttle. The entire trip she had been bothered by a lecherous asari passenger who wanted to show her things that no human male could ever do.

Not sure I even want to know whatever that means.

Since she was acting like such a ray of sunshine she refused to take a run to the ladies room at Konstantestar instead insisting that she just wanted to get out of there and away from squid scalps. So of course she starts whining that she needs to use the restroom halfway down the space elevator which leads to an embarrassing mother-daughter 'I told you so' bickerfest that carried on when we entered the skycar.

It's moments like that when I realize Lizzy is practically a clone of our mother. From the stunningly good looks to the incredible intelligence to the stubborn 'I know best' attitude.

Needless to say I was driven insane having to listen to their calm, passive aggressive arguing.

So I might have overridden some of the automated safety controls and started speeding.

And I might have forced another sky car to move out of the way to avoid being hit.

And I might have clipped the roof of the house when I was parking.

I'm really not that bad of a driver. Pardon me for wanting to get out of that skycar as soon as possible.

Lizzy and mom managed to call a truce in favor of chastising me about trying to kill us all. Right. Naturally I was the bad guy at the end of this trip and mom had yet to let me even sit in the passenger seat of the skycar since then. Story of my life.

Walking back downstairs I saw Mom sitting alone at the kitchen table. The dishes had been cleared and she had a cup of coffee in her hands. She was gazing off into space, lost in her own thoughts as she idly played with the wedding band on her left hand. She was a stunning woman, tall and slim with hazel colored eyes and curly dark brown hair that she kept stylishly cut short around her shoulders. Her natural skin tone had left her with a deep rich tan that she always accentuated with the fashionable but professional wardrobe that was out of place on a outer colony like Mindoir. She always turned heads wherever we went, much to the annoyance of my father.

My heavy boot clad steps coming down the stairs snapped her back to reality. She reflexively smiled at me before frowning at my appearance.

"Didn't you wear that before I left?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

Teenage male instincts kicked in as I crossed my arms and frowned back. "Yeah. It's fine for Nouveau Basel. Not like this is Bekenstein or anything."

Mentally I winced at the dig about her parents, my grandparents. They lived on Bekenstein in what could only be described as an estate surrounded by acres of land next to the sea with green fields of grass and large greenhouse structures that simulated various ecologies from Earth. Picturesque, peaceful, and expensive. They even had a stable with a few horses for riding and a small lake they kept stocked with fish.

That had always been a source of friction in our home. Hannah Gonzalez-Shepard was the daughter of wealthy professionals originally from Earth who made a killing from UNSC defense contracts and Systems Alliance colonial efforts. She was trained to be a medical doctor in the finest schools on Earth before she met my father. It's not that my grandparents were bad people, in fact I loved them, but they were a bit much at times. They believed in working hard, making a killing and living the good life. And they most certainly were not the biggest fans of my father or my mother's marriage to him.

Albert Shepard, my father, was an orphan from the Toronto area of the UNAS. He had been raised in a Catholic orphanage by nuns and had the typical love-hate relationship with the church. Love the religion but loathed the clergy.

The second he could legally leave, he volunteered to do manual labor on construction crews building colonies across Alliance space. Eventually that led to jobs on mining operations in the seedier parts of the Traverse. With nothing to do and days away from civilized sectors of the galaxy he managed to save up a hefty sum of credits.

My parents would meet in a club on Luna and within a year along came Lizzy and a marriage, in that order. Two years after that and the young family was sinking their combined savings into a stake of the Mindoir colonization effort to start a family farming business. I would be born the next year on Mindoir and followed four years later by my little sister Ari.

Needless to say her parents and siblings were less than thrilled with her decisions. Try as hard as they might it was inevitable that snarky remarks about farmers, colonists, the uneducated and lower stations in life would come from them.

I know my mother was ashamed at times that she didn't live up to family standards and it showed. She threw herself into her work helping to run and expand the only real hospital on the planet but her disdain for life on a fledgling colony on the outer edges of Systems Alliance controlled space was apparent. No matter what started the fights they always reduced to arguments about her family and Mindoir.

I guess nearly twenty or so years of marriage meant the magic was gone leaving only bitter resentment and apathy. She cheated with someone during trips to Elysium that the CAA was funding for medical professionals from younger colonies to receive training to better serve their fledgling communities. My father drank himself into a stupor here on Mindoir and pretended it wasn't happening. Ah, domestic bliss.

Mom's face went stony before reprimanding me "That doesn't mean you should look like a vagrant. Dress for the job you want and not the job you have."

I made a face as I faked pondering her comment for comedic value. I needed to get her laughing even if it was at me instead of with me. "Considering the fact I have no job, unless you count being a farmer, that's some pretty bad advice, Mom. Of course, I could wear my nice clothes for the harvest next week if you want."

"You're going to do that now just to annoy me, aren't you?" she asked with a half grin. When I responded with a shrug and fake bewildered look she chuckled before changing the subject. "I want you to know that I appreciate you helping out around the house and farm while I'm gone on these trips but I want you to focus on your studies. Your teachers say you're passing with minimal effort. You're not applying yourself enough. They know you can do better."

Just like that my anger with her was back. Whatever rapport we had going was gone. The nerve of her to not only thank me for taking care of things while she was off with her lover but then to tell me that I could do better? Seriously? "I'm passing. Isn't that the point?"

She maintained her patience but the body language from breakfast was back. Taking a moment to study me with sad, motherly eyes, she asked me "I suppose it doesn't matter at this point but don't you want to do something with your life? Be something besides a farmer on Mindoir? Your sister is-"

"Yeah, sorry I'm not Lizzy. You may have noticed." I wasn't sorry. Not even slightly. Not for interrupting her and not for what I said. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life but I was sure what I didn't want was to be like Lizzy. Eager to run away from home here on Mindoir just like mom was doing.

She stood from her seat at the table and quickly wrapped me in a strong hug as I recoiled from her touch. I wasn't even sure if she had showered since she was with her lover. She would always mention about how she hated using the public facilities aboard transports. Nevertheless she squeezed me harder until I stopped resisting and reluctantly hugged her back, suppressing the raging emotions within.

We stood that awkward embrace for what seemed like forever but glancing at the chronometer on my omnitool said it was a little over a minute. But it was long enough for me to take in small details, like how much taller I was than her. She was a tall woman, roughly one hundred seventy eight centimeters and still only cam up to my eye level.

She broke the hug to cup my face with her hands as she gave me a teary smile. "You're getting so big. And that hair." She reached up to ruffle the locks she was admiring. "You look so much like your Abuelo."

I tried smiling at her affection but inside I was panicking. Where the hell was Ari? I wanted to get out of here before things got any weirder.

As if I conjured something worse from the depths of my mind, the low hum of a hydrogen fuel cell engine getting closer pierced the silence. The crunch of dirt and gravel becoming progressively louder reminded me of the original reason I wanted to get out of the house.

Mom heard it too and took a step away from me as a dark and thunderous expression overtook her. Turning her head in the direction of the sound, her beautiful face and hazel eyes hardened, losing all warmth and happiness. Shoulders squared and fists balled at her sides she took a deep breath before taking long angry strides towards the kitchen door that lead to the driveway outside. Slapping her hand fiercely against the controls, the door opened and she continued her march outside to confront who could only be my father.

Realizing I wasn't going to avoid their festive reunion put a serious damper on today's plans. I jogged back up the stairs to see what was taking Ari so long as a ball of stress and worry began gnawing at my stomach.

The door to her room was unlocked but I knew better than to barge in without announcing myself. The only thing that could make this morning worse would be to see is my kid sister's scrawny ass half dressed. Knocking on the door I heard her flustered answer to come in so I activated the controls and opened the door. Stepping inside revealed the interior of her room. The same dull and depressing metallic gray walls common to all prefab units. Pink, purple, and white décor was splashed about liberally to liven up the room and let you know you were entering a girly lair. It definitely gave the room character but it also made me believe that if I spent much longer in here I might contract a terminal illness that made me talk about cute boys and asari made cosmetics.

Still, no signs of Ari. She had answered my knock. Where was that little twerp? I wasn't in the mood for games. We needed to get out of her quick before our parents started fighting.

Afraid to step past the threshold for fear of catching cooties I called out for her. "Ari?"

Her brunette head popped up from the far side of her bed. Brushing curls out of her face she quickly apologized. "Sorry! I can't find my boots."

I quirked my lips to the right as I recalled her wearing them yesterday. "Didn't I tell you to take them off because they were muddy?"

Realization dawned on her face as she remembered "Oh yeah! They're by the front door."

She stood and I got a look at her outfit. One of Lizzy's old shirts that she forgot to take to college and gray leggings. The shirt was huge on Ari, coming to mid thigh and was for a band called Vorcha's Ate My Baby with a decal of some rabid beast that vaguely resembled a vorcha gnawing on a bone. The bright colors of the design had a slight illumination to them, the luminescence of the threads having nearly died out from years of wear and washings.

She was about as well dressed as I was. Seeing nothing wrong according to my well honed fashion sense I motioned for her to follow me.

We made it halfway downstairs before arguing voices could be heard, causing us to pause.

"You left them alone, Al? All night? So you could go drinking with your buddies? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Oh now you want to be a good parent? After you take off a week every month to spend time with your friends, Hannah?"

"You know damn well that is part of my job, Albert."

"So you're getting paid to do what you're doing? You know there's a name for that profession."

"I hate it when they fight." Ari whispered next to me. I glanced her direction to see her hazel colored eyes glassy with unshed tears. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders I lead her down the rest of the way and towards the living room area.

We walked into a standoff with mom lingering near the kitchen and dad laid back defiantly in a recliner. You could smell the alcohol permeating from his pores from across the room. If that wasn't enough the bloodshot blue eyes and haggard appearance were a dead giveaway.

Albert Shepard turned his attention toward us "Where are the two of you going?"

I froze and couldn't answer him. He was a large man and moments like this made him seem even bigger. A lifetime of hard labor had turned his naturally tall and lanky frame into nearly two meters and one hundred kilos of muscle. Not the sculpted, well defined kind you find on male models, but the sort men who work physically demanding jobs have.

None of that usually mattered since he was an easygoing and gentle man. Kind and helpful to everyone he met. Avoiding conflict and confrontation at every opportunity. That is until he drank. He never hit anyone when drunk, but he wasn't above using his size to intimidate others. And he certainly left me feeling intimidated right now.

More than anything his being drunk left me feeling conflicted. He would grow confident and speak his mind about my mother's affair but his own inebriated behavior made her actions seem sane and righteous. I didn't know how to make sense of this mess and just wanted to get away.

My arm still around Ari's shoulder, I nudged her towards the front door while I replied, "Into town. Checking on parts for the drones and stuff."

Dad lost his glare as he seemed to remember the responsibility of running the farm and looked genuinely ashamed. Swallowing he thickly replied "Be sure to ask Sarkis about those replacement parts we ordered. He said there was an issue with the certification for most of the farmers on Mindoir and Jotun was clearing it up."

Not bothering to stop for conversation I nodded and reached down to grab Ari's boots while activating the controls for the door. A second later and we were outside with the door closing behind us.

* * *

**Nouveau Basel, Mindoir, Malawi System, Maroon Sea; May 19th 2570 [Standardized Earth Calendar], 0906 [Local Time, Terran Standard]**

Once Ari had her boots on we started walking down the dirt and gravel driveway in silence. Fishing around in my back pocket, I found the haptic glove I was looking for. Slipping it on my right hand, I activated the omnitool on my left wrist. A quick check of my credits and I saw enough to get the parts we needed with plenty left to buy lunch for the both of us. If we could manage to avoid returning home until early evening then that would be plenty of time for the both of them to cool off.

With nothing better to do I continued to play with my omnitool, hoping to look around the extranet for music and FRM free stuff.

Odd. I kept getting a no connection error when trying to access the extranet. I tried resetting but my connection to the greater Nouveau Basel network and cache was fine. It was like the extranet and everything beyond Mindoir wasn't there.

Sighing to my self, I was resigned to it being yet another outage. Some satellite relay or comm buoy must be malfunctioning again. Just part of life on Mindoir. Vyrant Telecom had been part of the bid that won the contract to develop the colony and they held sole rights to all the public telecommunications services and equipment. It would be another twenty years before that contract could be renegotiated so until then we were hostage to their rates and customer service. There's a reason Vyrant rhymes with tyrant. Either way, I wasn't doing much without an extranet connection so I shut my omnitool off and stuffed the haptic glove back into my pocket. I'd check again when we got into town.

"Hey, can I get on the extranet with that?" Ari asked as we turned off our driveway and onto the main road leading to the train depot.

I sighed. We had just barely got on the road and already Ari was going into question mode. She was normally a talkative little chatterbox, but when she was bored or upset she got worse. As if that were possible.

Considering the three kilometers or so of walking to the station I was in for an earful. "It's not working."

Ari glared at me with a dubious frown. "But you just used it right now."

"The omnitool works fine. I just can't get the extranet." I corrected her with a glare of my own.

She crossed her arms petulantly and replied, "Whatever. You just don't want me using your omnitool."

Well, she had a point there. Her extranet history was the stuff of legends. Who knew a twelve year old girl could cause so much trouble?

I counted off her transgressions on my fingers. "Maybe because in the last year you had mom's extranet account banned for calling the Elcor ambassador an elephant with no trunk that talks funny on the Courts of Dekuuna forums. And not in those words."

She shrugged in her usual nonchalant way. Using incredibly foul language was second nature to her. Mom was constantly punishing her for the less than civilized behavior but I secretly marveled at it. Where in the galaxy does a little farm girl from Mindoir learn to swear worse than a UNSC soldier or eezo jockey? Neither of our parents were that foul mouthed. Or creative for that matter.

Raising a second finger I continued, "You ordered an expensive set of reference manuals on galactic plant life."

"They have pretty pictures of flowers and stuff!" she exclaimed in her defense.

"All we can do is look at the pictures," I countered, "They're in some obscure Salarian dialect."

Again, the carefree shrug. "Mom wants me to learn another language."

I counted off a third finger. "You got caught watching porn."

"That wasn't my fault!" she protested by wagging her finger at me, "Sammy Hudson from school said milf was the name of a hanar singer!"

My eyebrows rose of their own accord. "And how does that explain you watching Asari Confessions Seven?"

"You look up milf. You click a link. You click another link. Crazy shit happens."

Can't argue with her logic there.

I opted to stay quiet, hoping she would ramble on and work out whatever pent up energy she had in her system.

Bored after a few minutes left alone with my thoughts I had the urge to do something to entertain myself. The loose gravel of the road beckoned to my inner mischief maker.

Focusing on a patch about ten meters ahead while we walked, I willed the tingling surge of a static electric shock through my body as I extended my right arm before flicking my wrist to the left.

Nothing.

I frowned and tried again.

Still nothing.

By this time Ari had caught on and decided to join in.

If anyone saw us they would have thought we were a pair of deranged idiots. Two fools walking down a farm road to the train depot waving their arms about while wearing looks of frustration and concentration. The occasional outburst of colorful language as we failed.

Ari jumped away in fright when a dark purple corona of dark energy surrounded my body. A split second later the gravel in front of us levitated about ten centimeters off the ground before falling back down.

My head started spinning, forcing me to stop so I could lean forward with my hands on my knees. Every heartbeat pounded in my ears. I was inexplicably exhausted and wanted nothing more than to curl up on the side of the road for a nap.

Ari lightly placed a hand on my shoulder as she cautiously leaned in to check on me. "Are you okay?"

When I grunted affirmative she lost all concern and needled me, "Good, because you suck. How did you do that?"

I rolled my shoulder to shake off her hand and stood tall, my head leaned back as I drew in a deep breath. I took in the blue sky of Mindoir and the thin vertical shaft in the distance that was the Konstantstar space elevator. After a moment I teased her with a grin and a mockery of her carefree shrug.

She growled and threw a wild punch at my shoulder that I easily dodged. My lethargic spell behind me, I had a resurgence of energy, and hunger. "C'mon, let's go. I'm starving."

She let out an annoyed huff and kicked the gravel at her feet but complied.

After a few moments of sulking she began to try again in earnest. A few more failures accompanied with words no twelve year old should be able to string together she gave up all pretenses, demanding I teach her. "Show me how you did it."

I shook my head at her bluntness. "Wow. First of all, a please might be nice. Also, no clue."

Ari scowled before her face lit up in glee. I should have known she never played fair. Neither of my sisters did. "Show me or I tell Klara Palinkas you've got a crush on her."

I contemplated if anyone would miss Ari if I killed her and tossed the body into the Basel-Rhine river. Maybe tell everyone she ran away to join the Attican Traveling Circus.

Pretty sure I could talk our parent's into turning her room into another guest room like Lizzy's. Maybe even rent it out or even better, start a bed and breakfast with an authentic colonial feel for tourists. "How do you know she doesn't already?"

Ari saw through my bluff and kept up her devious smile. "Her boyfriend would have kicked your ass for the way you stare at her ass."

I became lost in my own confusion and panic over her answer. Boyfriend? When did this happen? Not that I was stalking her or anything. I just noticed things. Like how she ate lunch with her friends everyday this week. No boyfriend in sight.

Okay, maybe I was being a bit creepy. The saddest part was I didn't even question the part about this boyfriend kicking my ass. I just accepted it as truth.

The three fights I had ever been in were resounding losses.

Dahlia Oberst beat the crap out of me when we got into an argument over a game in elementary school. Although in my defense, she was and still is gargantuan by any standards. I'm pretty sure there was a krogan or jiralhanae somewhere in her family tree. Let's just say petite will never be a word that is associated with her.

Cristophe Lemieux knocked me flat on my ass with one punch for accidentally spilling his juice all over him in middle school.

At least I put up a better fight when he shoved me into some bushes last semester but the outcome was still the same. I wound up dazed and bloody on the floor.

Safe to say he really didn't like me. Every game and every sport in the Nouveau Basel intramural league he made sure to tackle, elbow, punch or kick me any chance he got.

He even turned running during physical education class into an EUCC match. Seriously, how do you think that up? It takes a special kind of person to devote that much time and effort towards tormenting someone else.

Ari's giggling brought me back to the present. It dawned on me that there was no boyfriend. Ari had made me panic on purpose for her own enjoyment.

Annoyed at her antics I snapped a reminder to her "We shouldn't even have done that in public. You remember what Mom said? If people find out we're biotics they'll make us register and then force us to attend a training facility."

Two years or so after Ari had been born there was an accident where a freighter had exploded in low orbit over the colony. Given the constant shipments of agricultural and building material entering and leaving the planet it wasn't that shocking of a mishap. What was shocking was the high levels of refined Element Zero dust that it released. I can somewhat remember the fear that set in as everyone in the community was terrified that they or their family would develop the cancerous growths that accompanied exposure to that much dust. Mom had been a wreck for months as she dealt with real cases of exposure and those who thought every lump or cough was a sure sign.

It wasn't until several years later that Lizzy had her first 'incident' when she sent a fork flying into the ceiling with enough force to bend it out of shape. In the years to follow, me and my sisters would continually display biotic potential and on the advice of Uncle Kamal, Tia Alicia's husband and an officer in the Office of Naval Intelligence, we kept it secret.

Biotics were forced to register with the Systems Alliance which would use the CAA and local law enforcement to monitor them. And in order to receive a permit for a bioamp implant system you had to attend and graduate from a Systems Alliance approved training facility. Since human biotics were rare, training facilities were only located on major worlds and cost a fortune to enroll.

Those factors helped push most biotics to never register or seek illegal implants to avoid the scrutiny from the government. And ever since the debacle surrounding the second series of bioamps for humans, there had been an increase of biotics joining insurrectionist groups as payback against a society that already ostracized them at best and persecuted them at worst. That in turn only legitimized the fear and hatred of biotics in human culture.

Thankfully we never had an incident while at school and since Mom was one of the senior doctors on the colony, she handled our medical records and exams. With no one else the wiser we had kept it a family secret for nearly ten years now.

Ari's face morphed from shocked to crestfallen and finally to frightened. She nervously glanced about but there was no one in sight on the road or the sky. We were shielded by fields on either side that obscured most of what we had been doing.

Watching her nervousness I felt a stab of guilt for having been a bit harsh on her. Not to mention hypocritical given I had been doing it too. As much as I wanted her to suffer for her little prank she was still my little sister and after what we dealt with this morning it was better to cheer her up. "We're probably fine. We just have to be careful not to do that in public. All right?" When she failed to show a change in spirits I added "When we get back later I'll show you what I am doing."

Her morose funk gave way to a bright smile as she added a bit of a skip to her step. Internally I cringed as I knew this future lesson was going to be a lot of me bullshitting since I could hardly understand what I was doing in the first place. I had searched the extranet a few times about biotic techniques but there really wasn't much beyond theory and scientific data.

"Thank you." she replied in a singsong fashion as her skipping became more energetic.

I shook my head at her emotional turn around. Ari was going to be a drama queen when she got older. I could only hope I wasn't living in the same system let alone planet by that time.

Still, it would be irresponsible of me to not temper her expectations right now. Irresponsible as in I didn't want to hear her claim she was promised that she would be able to use her biotics flawlessly by this evening, which I am sure is what she thought. "You do realize that I really have no idea how I do it, right?"

She bobbed her head in understanding, still refusing to relinquish her good mood. "That's fine. It's not like I can ask Lizzy." She pantomimed outraged body language with an embellished high pitched voice "Biotics? Sssssh! Keep your voice down! No one can know that I'm not perfect!"

While it was an obvious exaggeration the sentiment was spot on and I had to laugh at her theatrics. Elizabeth Shepard was determined to leave everything about Mindoir behind. Something like her latent biotic status was something she went to great pains to hide but could never run away from and that terrified her.

I looked around and noticed we must be nearing the station since we were passing the Sprague farm now. Old man Sprague was some shady character that bought plots of farm land across Mindoir as a retirement which sounds crazy until you realize he made credits so fast that the CAA seemed to perpetually have him under investigation.

All he grew was a variety of herbs, spices, tea and coffee. If you ever spoke with him he would claim that the spice trade was where the credits were. 'Like 1492 all over again' he would say. Thessia, Illium, Elysium, the whole Orior Cluster, the Citadel. They all wanted to flavor their food, the asari especially. If there was one thing the asari loved about humans it was our food. Hell even the salarians viewed some of the more pungent herbs as an exotic delicacy. Our family made a killing off cocoa since everyone loved chocolate but once the asari on Illium learned that it was also considered an aphrodisiac they would pay any price for it.

I mean we are talking red sand prices. Not that I knew anything about what that costs. That's just what the guy who runs the ship that buys our cocoa to sell off world says.

But that brings us back to old man Sprague. He was known throughout Mindoir as a philanthropist who gave back to the colony that gave him so much. Friendly enough to everyone he met but he could be downright vicious about his business and land. You didn't cross him on either.

Ari and I learned that the hard way a few years back when we were playing along the fence that separates our properties. We had hopped over the fence because, well, we were kids. Tell us not to do something and as soon as your back is turned we'd be doing it. He shows up riding a sky cycle and brandishing a pre-Contact War era shotgun. The way he told us to get off his property reminded me of how the vids portray the Krogan in the Terminus.

No humor. No subtlety. All threats.

Of course Ari had responded with her burgeoning potty mouth. The resulting back and forth intellectual debate about parentage and what you could do with your own anatomy would have been amusing if one of them wasn't a preteen child and the other wasn't holding a weapon.

It had been up to me, of all people, to be the adult and talk them both down. Once we got home and told our parents I figured I would be congratulated for my fast thinking and maturity.

No such luck.

Mom became livid before making us swear to never cross old man Sprague again. Once she had calmed down we were told why we had made a huge mistake.

Turns out Mister Sprague retired from nothing. He was a front man for organized crime on Mindoir. His farms and investments were all legit operations but rumor had it they served as safe houses and stashes for contraband. Mindoir's placement on the edge of Systems Alliance space put us in proximity to the criminal organizations and insurrectionists in the Traverse and Terminus. That made us an ideal port of entry for the less than reputable sort to shift people and goods in and out of Alliance space. The high amount of freighter traffic was nearly impossible to search thoroughly unless the Alliance gave the go ahead for a Fucanglong style blockade. Because that worked out so well the last time the UNSC did it. I mean it only started the First Insurrection War.

Supposedly if you traveled into the foothills of the Gran Alps to the northeast of the county you might just run into several unofficial farming operations of Sprague's where they grow cannabis, poppies, coca, and tobacco. It was technically legal to grow these plants just like it was technically legal to use them for your own recreational purposes. The real issue was that you were only authorized to grow with the intent to sell if you had a special license from the Systems Alliance, and even then you could only sell to authorized retailers and never directly to the public. This system required hefty fees, intense scrutiny from authorities and could be revoked if it was proven you were not following laws and protocols.

So Sprague paid the right people to look the other way and invested in local business to buy community loyalty. Chances are if you buy a black market colonial cigar on Elysium and Bekenstein, cocaine on the Citadel, or heroin on Earth it came from Mindoir courtesy of Nouveau Basel. And that's not counting what other crazy illegal things, or people, he helped smuggle in and out from the Terminus.

Knowing what I know now made even walking past his farm nerve wracking. To think that mom and dad had known about that for years while we lived on the next farm over made me also question their sanity.

Eventually the fields of his farm gave way to train rails heading to the east and west. A small open air station on an elevated platform with a roof marked the end of the road. Beyond it was several hundred meters of open field before a series of levees and walls blocked the Basel-Rhine river from overflowing during seasonal rain as it surged about 130 kilometers downriver to the Wilhelm Ocean.

To the east the rails ran towards the actual town of Nouveau Basel and the base of the Konstantestar space elevator that stretched upwards for tens of thousands of kilometers to Konstantestar Station. It would continue eastward, tracing the foothills of the Gran Alps clear to the other side of the large island and ending at the small fishing and farming town of Nouveau Calabria.

Walking up a ramp, we came to a set of benches under the shade of the roofing and sat down. No sooner than we had relaxed when a holo of a blonde human woman on the platform. "Greetings. I am Henrietta, virtual assistant for the Nouveau Basel Transit Authority Mass Transit System. Do you have a monthly pass? Have you purchased a day pass?"

I sighed as the VI repeated it's standard line of questioning. Didn't matter how many times I took a ride on the train, it never changed. Same creepy smile. Same robotic sounding dialogue. "We have monthly passes, thanks."

Undeterred, the VI smile and continued along with it's script. "The next trains headed to Nouveau Basel and Nouveau Calabria should be along in.. Error: Unknown."

Ari and I both perked up at that one. Unknown? Error? I glanced at Ari but she shrugged and looked just as bewildered as I felt.

The VI was obviously malfunctioning but to what degree? I didn't exactly feel safe boarding a maglev train run by faulty programming. For all I know it would start playing elevator music while it hurled us forward at ungodly speeds towards our deaths. Did nothing on this colony work like it was supposed to?

"You don't know or you're experiencing an error?" Ari's question seemed straightforward, but that's only if you have enough common sense to process it. VI's were notorious for getting the simplest of things confused. Like that time we discovered the VI for the Konstantestar space elevator took everything you said literally. After asking every inane question we could think of, Mom had told us to stop before we blew the elevator up. Needless to say, the heavily armed UNSC Air Force security team waiting for a terrorist threat to bomb the elevator when we exited were less than thrilled with our family.

I felt a mosquito land on my arm and immediately smacked it. Pulling back I could see the bloody smear, but after wiping it away I didn't see a bite mark. You could never be sure since Totenkopf insurrectionists were caught smuggling in mosquitoes laden with malaria last summer.

The VI never answered the question because the train could be seen coming in the distance. Ari begun silently parroting the VI with exaggerated robotic happiness."The next train to Nouveau Basel is arriving. Please stay clear of the platform edge until the train has come to a full and complete stop. Thank you for choosing the Nouveau Basel Mass Transit System. Have a wonderful day."

I snorted at the prerecorded statement. Thank you for choosing the Nouveau Basel Mass Transit System? Like we have a choice.

We stood and waited for the once sleek and gleaming white train to arrive. The original contract with the company that built the tethers and train systems across the colony stated that the trains would be changed out every four years, but the company no longer produced the train model they installed here. Stuck in yet another aspect of the contract that helped found the colony, the Mindoir government had no choice but to keep what we had or enter negotiations to amend the contract in order to get the newer models instead. And that would require an overhaul of parts on the preexisting rail system. Which in turn needed to be paid for by taxpayers who didn't want to vote for special tax increases or municipal bonds to pay for the upgrades. So we got to ride in the lap of colonial luxury until the citizens of Mindoir voted to tax themselves or the CAA and our Parliament representatives could squeeze money from the Alliance to pay for the upgrades. Maybe mom wasn't so crazy about hating life on Mindoir.

The train came to a halt as a sensation of static electricity washed over me, making my body vibrate in pleasant ways as the eezo nodules in my nervous system responded to the mass effect fields used by the train. Ari was faring no better as she had closed eyes, a grin on her face and her hair beginning to stand on edge. A devious thought came to mind as I reached out with a single finger to touch her bare neck.

The resulting snap and jolt of a static shock stung me but made her yelp and jump away in fear. She clutched her neck while glaring at me accusingly.

I laughed and jogged away, entering the open door of the train. I heard Ari's footsteps behind me as she undoubtedly ran to catch up and punch me. I took a glance over my shoulder to see how close she was... and tripped face first over the threshold of the train. The VI of the automated pass checker seemed to be mocking me rather than simply scanning my identitag for a monthly pass. "Welcome aboard, Luis Vincent Shepard."

Ari's giggles were drowned out by the murmurs and stifled chuckles of strangers on the train. Looking up I saw a mostly empty train car with varying degrees of mirth and empathy. Checking my face I found no blood or painful soreness. Seems my ego was more bruised than anything.

I sat down next to a still amused Ari, who couldn't seem to control her laughter "That's what you get, dumbass."

I huffed and leaned back in my seat, holding back my temper and the urge to smack her upside the head. It was my own fault but being embarrassed like that made me feel defensive to the extreme. Choosing to let my mind wander in an effort to cool down I absentmindedly began people watching on the train.

There were only a handful aboard the train this early. Not that there were ever many riding the train. Mostly people going to and from school or work on weekdays. Sometimes it was packed with people when a festival was being held in town. The real reason the train system had ever been built was to facilitate the building of the farming communities and later the automated transfer of crops from those farms to the Konstantestar space elevator, where they could be loaded onto docked freighters that were usually too big to operate in the atmosphere and definitely too heavy once fully loaded.

An older woman of Asian descent stared back at me with a frown causing me to look away in humiliation. No doubt she she viewed me as some local idiot, which could only be compounded if she knew who my father was. Then I would be some local idiot, son of some local drunk.

Hushed whispers and giggling drew my attention to a pair of teenagers I knew from school were on the far end of the cabin. Nolan and Miriam, they were kids from further down the rails, nearer to the ocean. Nolan was actually the biggest gossip on the entire continent, unable to keep his trap shut about any occurrence that somehow found it's way into his knowing. I still cringe at the memory of Lizzy's boyfriend being caught cheating at a winter solstice festival two years ago. Nolan had caught him and another girl making out and rather than keep it to himself or inform my sister, the punk had gone around spreading rumors that her boyfriend dumped her for a myriad of reasons. Needless to say, my sister was mortified and incensed at being made a fool of in public with such a small community of several thousand people.

The pair made eye contact with me and immediately burst into giggles as they leaned into each other and began whispering again. I felt my blood begin to boil as I stifled the urge to strangle the two of them as it pushed forth in my mind, causing me to reflexively squeeze my fists tight.

Beside me Ari continued to giggle as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail and secured it with a band from around her wrist. She was all smiles and youthful ignorance, the red glowing strands in her hair pulsing with the slight sway of the train as it rocketed down the rails. My sister was still too young and unaware of the petty social games that persisted even in the small farming community of Nouveau Basel on the isolated outer colony of Mindoir. Because really, there was nothing better to do on this planet any damn way.

Wonderful. This wouldn't be relived in excruciating detail at school tomorrow at my expense. This day is just getting better by the second.

* * *

**Codex Entry: Humans**

Humans, or Terrans, scientific name _Homo Sapiens_, are an omnivorous mammalian species originating from planet Earth in the Sol system, Orior Cluster. Related to other still existing primate species, humans are considered a young race, which is displayed in their genetic diversity. Despite this youthfulness, their recent introduction to the galactic community has been a cause for concern amongst other species as humans have adapted quickly and are now excelling, becoming competitive with races that have been established for centuries.

The species is average in height and build, comparable to drell, asari, batarians, salarians and quarians. In fact, the human species continues the curiously similar patterns found in the majority of sapient species across the galaxy. An upright bipedal stance. Manual dexterity with an opposable thumb, or thumb analogues. External genitalia for males and internal for females. More peculiar is human females continue a trend of large mammary glands in females of the batarian, quarian, and drell species that are near identical to those found on asari, which are a mono gendered race. Scientists believe these similarities are oddities showcasing parallel evolution towards traits that best serve sapients. Others believe a more nefarious or metaphysical source is at hand, such as the protheans bioengineering species. Many in academia dismiss this hypothesis with scorn as the evolutionary path of each species was already apparent millions of years ago. Well before the protheans themselves were known to have been a force in the galaxy.

Human physiology allows for an excellent blend of strength, agility and speed. Typically their lifespans average one hundred and fifty Terran years, although various conditions and external factors can reduce this significantly. They maintain strong immediate familial bonds, with somewhat close connections retained to relatives once or twice removed. The fur that grows atop their heads, near their eyes and across the lower half of their face in fact covers their entire body, with varying degrees of thickness. As noticed by much of the galaxy, Humans sculpt and fashion the fur atop their heads into various styles which suggests that the fur is related to social hierarchy and finding mates.

The life cycle of a human consists of an short infant stage in which the human is dependent upon it's parents and family. Then comes a somewhat longer child phase where the human grows at a fast pace while learning physical mastery of their body and basics of language, culture and sciences. The human phase of adolescence is marked by the onset of the capability to reproduce although this seems to be discouraged as their bodies undergo rapid growth, establishing the sexual dimorphism of the species. It is during this period that humans are culturally encouraged to focus on a profession or trade and leave the home of their parents. The next phase is known as the prime, lasting from roughly age twenty Terran years to age sixty Terran years. During this phase the human is at peak physical health and vitality, shows no signs of aging, and is generally when offspring are produced. By age sixty Terran years, the mature phase starts, most noticeably with a dropped level of endurance and stamina. Humans are by no means invalids in this phase, still capable of producing offspring and being physically competitive, but it is clear they are no longer at peak condition. The last is the senior phase, starting by about one hundred to one hundred and ten Terran years which is highlighted by the end of reproductivity, fur turning white or gray, and greatly reduced physical capabilities. Humans of this age are encouraged to leave the workforce and spend their remaining decades of life in relaxation.

Human civilizations are arranged around private living spaces in communal settings, although a mated pair will share a space with their minor offspring. While no official caste system exists, humans are naturally competitive despite their highly social nature, leading to hierarchies that are fluid based upon success and failure. There is a bias within the species that tends towards tribalism, in which the human identifies with other humans who share physical and cultural similarities. Human culture also display an acceptance of a wide range of sexual behavior outside of standard male and female copulation for reproduction. Leadership within the human species is an mixture of democratic processes combined with forceful or charismatic personalities.

Human technology gravitates towards augmentation. They have developed a great deal of cybernetic implants, chemical enhancements, and genetic therapies to eliminate issues they see as weaknesses or inconveniences. Additionally, their augmentations allow for a greater level of interaction with their devices, weapons and vehicles. The reliance upon VIs is another hallmark of human technology, although some fear the ubiquitous nature of human VI usage is edging dangerously close to events that led to the quarian genocide and creation of the geth. Food production technology is also focused on augmentation, allowing human farms and greenhouses to efficiently produce great tasting and highly nutritious sustenance.

Militarily speaking, humanity uses a defensive strategy of protecting colonies and resources. Knowing that it is impossible to be everywhere at once, they focus on making it near suicide to attempt the invasion of a colonized solar system while also patrolling the entire cluster in attempt to ward off any who feel suicidal enough to try. Dreadnought production limited by the Treaty of Farixen has not seriously affected military strength. Humans have opted to continue their tradition of massive forward operating bases for smaller craft known as carriers. The novel idea astounded Turian military strategists during the Contact War so much that they quickly copied the tactic. Despite initially tense and hostile relations, the shared military obligations of humans and turians has led to increasingly friendly and open relations. The two races now regularly share military technology in an effort to create a Council Military force strong enough to face any threat.

The galaxy at large, and Council in particular, are troubled with how well humanity has adapted to the galactic community. While the economy still is not as large as any of the Council races it is rapidly gaining ground and has already surpasses all other associate races including the volus. Human media, particularly entertainment, is proving to be their most valuable export as the galaxy can not seem to get enough of the human experience. Scholars caution that this phenomenon has happened before when quarians and batarians were introduced to the galaxy, followed by a lack of interest after the novelty of the species and their cultures wore off. The real threat to watch, experts warn, is human political, financial and expansionary behavior. Galactic historians who have spent decades studying human history and culture are beginning to warn that symptoms of dysfunction in the species exemplified by the Second Insurrection War and humanity's stubborn refusal to give in to the Covenant onslaught of the Harvest Campaign. They point to signs that these events are not outliers and the possibility that this race is immature and a potential threat to the galaxy. Comparisons to the Krogan Rebellions and the Genophage used to curtail their aggressiveness have garnered hostility from humans who do not appreciate the image being painted about them in professional circles around the galaxy.

* * *

**Codex Entry: Mindoir**

A series of fortunate events surrounds the outer colony world of Mindoir. In 2537 a UNSC Naval patrol in the Maroon Sea Cluster entered an uncharted star system looking to discharge their drive core. After doing a standard scan of the system for threats the patrol group was astonished to discover a planet with near Earth like conditions and a compatible biosphere.

News of this amazing discovery placed incredible pressure upon the Systems Alliance to act quickly. Public sentiment, and eager investors, urged the human government to streamline the entire surveying and colonization process so that humanity might gain a foothold within the cluster immediately. However, security analysts within the government and UNSC balked, producing reports and estimates that the production and formation of permanent defense forces to protect the new colony and it's associated infrastructure would not be ready in time to keep pace with the projected colonization.

Undeterred, in 2542 the rights to the world were rewarded to the Delta Pavonis Foundation, which together with their investment group placed the winning bid based upon their projection of turning the planet into a food production center like Harvest and Eden Prime. By 2553 basic infrastructure had been finalized allowing for the first wave of colonists to arrive, consisting of individuals and families purchasing plots of farmland and farming equipment from investment partners. In the years since, with only a token detachment of UNSC defense forces, the colony has flourished, becoming one of the most rapidly profitable colonies while managing to avoid major setbacks or catastrophes.

The government of Mindoir is located on Konstantestar Orbital Station, high above it's largest settlement of Nouveau Basel. Political intrigue with the colony is growing as all parties see the conditions of Mindoir allowing for rapid future expansion and much greater population growth. Currently the government of Mindoir is in negotiations with the CAA to allow for a second wave of colonization on the planet and within the solar system, with an emphasis on mining, gas harvesting, and refinement. If this colonization is approved, it would increase the economic diversification of the entire system and allow the people of Mindoir to have more representation in the Systems Alliance Parliament.

The good luck of the planet Mindoir and the Malawi system seems to keep on going, proving detractors and the worrisome wrong time and time again.

* * *

**Codex Entry: Systems Alliance**

Humans are renown for their genetic diversity, culture of individualism, and general adaptability. Galactic scholars believe these traits are the source of their rapid expansion and ascension. This makes the Systems Alliance, their government body, all that much more impressive as it maintains supreme control of this young and at times rash species.

The structure of this government body dates back to the aftermath of the Interplanetary War. The UN forces that had succeeded in bringing peace to Earth forcibly dissolved the UN Security Council, insisting on a parliamentary system which gave equal footing to all nations and peoples. While the notion was idealistic and perhaps naive, the horrors of the Interplanetary War led that generation of humans to believe, and those that followed, that the fate of the species was far too intertwined to allow any one nation to have more say than others. What they created was the United Earth Government, or UEG.

The original charter and constitution of the UEG allowed for the sovereignty of nations with the caveat that UEG law and directives supersede national law when they conflicted. Additionally, all national military forces were abolished and supplanted by the UNSC. The first parliament was convened with two bodies. One composed of representatives from each national government, called the House of Nations. The other of representatives voted in by the populace of newly drawn up global districts known as the House of Earth. The Prime Minister was selected from the House of Earth based upon a vote by the representatives and verified by the House of Nations.

The UEG saw it's first major obstacle with understanding how to best classify humans living beyond Earth and it's orbit. While many nations attempted to claim their citizens living abroad in the Sol system, there was a general consensus amongst the public and the House of Earth that this issue would be revisited again in the future should humanity ever expand beyond Sol. Thus negotiations were conducted to establish Luna and Mars as nations, complete with their own national governments and representation in the UEG. The remaining humans not tied to a nation were given the title of 'Spacer' provided they had no permanent residence on Earth, Mars or Luna. The UEG Parliament then opened up a district seat for a Spacer representation but no national seat as there was no unified nation.

This model was refined and upheld when Arcturus Station was commissioned as the new home of the UEG's successor, the Systems Alliance. Viewed as both a spectacle of human ingenuity and a neutral ground, the station was to assure the newly founded colonies that while Earth may be the birthplace of the human race it was no longer the only home they knew. Just as before, the colonies intended to become large population centers were given sovereignty, a seat in the House of Nations, and districts seats according to population totals in the now renamed House of Arcturus. Spacers would be drawn from those who lived primarily aboard ships and in remote facilities.

Aside from the Prime Minister, UNSC, House of Arcturus, and House of Nations the Systems Alliance operates several other necessary functions. The Diplomatic Corps handles foreign relations with each major species as well as being the office of the Human Ambassador to the Citadel Council. The Magistrate's Court is the highest level of judicial authority, able to resolve conflicts that can not be handled by national courts. The Colonial Authority Administration, or CAA, is an office dedicated to founding colonies and then helping them resolve issues while also keeping current records on census and individual movements via mandatory identitags. The Department of Commercial Shipping, or DCS, oversees the transportation of goods and people between star systems while also working with the UNSC Air Force and CAA to monitor all travel. The Ministry of Astronavigation, which helps run slipstream exit and entry points, monitor space traffic and help plot courses for the DCS and UNSC. The Ministry of Astrophysics, Geology, and Surveying, or MAGS, is tasked with exploration, maintaining star charts, and searching for viable or near viable worlds to colonize. The Ministry of Transhuman Studies, or MTranS, manages creates public policy and research done on human augmentation via cybernetics, chemical enhancement and genetic therapy as well as study the phenomenon of biotic humans. And the Ministry of Intelligence and Investigations, known famously as MI Squared, gathers data from all national and local law enforcement agencies to prosecute crimes beyond the scope of national governments and create a better understanding of threats within Systems Alliance space.

A term for the House of Nations is up to the discretion of the nation they represent, which can remove them at their leisure. District seats for the House of Arcturus are voted on every six years who then vote to keep the current Prime Minister or nominate a replacement. The Prime Minister can serve no more than three consecutive terms or four separate ones. The Magistrate's Court appointments last eight years and can be renewed twice before retirement. The Ambassador to the Council is selected by the Prime Minister, confirmed by the Parliament, and serves until withdrawn by the Systems Alliance or expelled by the Council.

The officially recognized languages of the Systems Alliance are English, Chinese, Spanish, Hindi, and Russian. French, Bengali, Japanese, German, Portuguese and Arabic are commonly used although not recognized. The metric system and all derived systems of measure are the standard units recognized by the Systems Alliance. Time is measured based upon the Terran standard of a twenty four hour day and three hundred and sixty five day year. All school children in Systems Alliance space are taught to understand at least two of the primary languages and the metric system.

While this form of government has stood for several centuries it has not been without criticism and disapproval. While none contest the need for the UEG following the Interplanetary War, many have begun to view the power the Systems Alliance wields as too much. The largest grievance being that while technically fair, the structure of Parliament gives too much sway and power to Earth, where the separate nations often band together out of mutual interest. Other annoyances like the usage of the Terran Standard for time despite living on worlds where that system makes no sense and the mandatory nature of identitags also create hostility towards the government. Furthermore, dissent has been steadily rising since the controversial decision to sign the Citadel Charter and become subservient to the Citadel Council. The Insurrection Wars and current political parties like Terra Firma are proof that a sizable population of humanity views the need for a massive government to oversee the entire race has long since expired.

* * *

**Codex Entry: United Nations Space Command Defense Forces**

The United Nations Space Command Defense Forces, or UNSC for short, is the only recognized military force of the human race. It has it's roots in the Interplanetary War where UN peacekeepers in Brazil outside of Rio de Janeiro organized refugees into the famous fighting force credited with saving the human race from self destruction.

Just as the UEG transitioned from an Earth centric government into the Systems Alliance based out of Arcturus Station, the UNSC has transitioned several times to better meet the requirements of defending the human race wherever they may go. Recruitment is steady as veterans of the UNSC typically enjoy greater demand in the private sector should they choose to leave service early. This is generally attributed to the wide range of skills and training given to those in uniform in addition to the multitude of specialized implants and genetic augmentation packages that are not available to the public.

The primary challenge faced by the Admirals, Generals and Air Marshals of the UNSC is to provide strategic defense to colonies and human interests while remaining flexible to meet threats head on. Associate status with the Citadel has placed an additional burden of participation in several standing galactic military operations such as the Council Demilitarization Enforcement Mission, or CDEM.

Military administration is handled by the UNSC command, or HIGHCOM, headquartered out of Arcturus Station and led by Minister of Defense, Chief of UNSC Forces and a staff of the highest ranking officers from each branch of service. Regional control is handled by Central Commands, or CENTCOM, for each major theater of operations.

The Navy operates the Heavy Fleets, comprised of a Dreadnought Battle Group; Carrier Battle Group; Support Battle Group; and six Patrol Battle Groups. Within these Battle Groups are wings of fighters, interceptors, bombers, dropships and gunships aboard the ships. There are currently ten total fleets with each assigned to a major star cluster claimed by the System Alliance and one fleet held in reserve. These fleets perform patrols within their assigned star cluster in addition to additional duties in less populated star clusters of Systems Alliance space.

The Air Force operates the Light Fleets assigned to highly populated star systems. With the advent of of Mass Effect and Slipstream physics the ability to travel rapidly has created a need for control and order. The Light Fleets are comprised of four patrol groups of frigates; Up to ten fighter wings positioned around the solar system for rapid response; Corvettes and atmospheric vessels patrolling orbits; The Orbital Defense Grid made up of massive orbital and planetary mass acceleration cannons; and guard forces protecting spaceports, space stations and tether elevators. The fleets are responsible for monitoring all traffic within the star system with extra attention paid to the orbit and atmosphere of major worlds. There are currently a total of fourteen Light Fleets in operation by the Air Force protecting the mostly highly populated star systems.

The Marines are found wherever the Navy is and operate the Frontier Divisions. As the Navy is often far away from any populated areas of space they require the assistance of Marine ground forces to board ships and space stations; Perform planetside operations on remote worlds; perform guard duties for Naval facilities and ships; and function as an invasion force. The Marines are also assigned as detachments to low population colonies as ground defense forces until it is found worthwhile to garrison an Army unit permanently. The standard Frontier Division consists of several self contained brigades with a mixture of Light and Mechanized Infantry units. The Marines have ten total divisions with each assigned to a major star cluster alongside the UNSC Navy with one division held in reserve.

The Army serves as the terrestrial ground force that protects and polices highly populated star systems. Their Colonial Divisions are assigned to prevent the ground invasion of a planet and eliminate domestic threats within star systems. Since their job is more defensive in nature the average Colonial Division consists of several self contained brigades with a mixture of Light and Mechanized Infantry units supported by Heavy Armor and Artillery. The UNSC Army currently has fourteen total Colonial Divisions in service protecting highly populated colony worlds with one division held in reserve.

SpecWar is the home of the UNSC's infamous N Series soldiers, known as Orbital Drop Shock Troopers and SPARTANs. Pulled from the ranks of all service branches and all specializations, the candidates who survive the trials of the various stages of the Interplanetary Combatives Training, or ICT, go on to serve in one of the ten SpecWar groups stationed throughout Systems Alliance space. Their high level of training, discipline and access to the best equipment humanity offers allows these groups to engage in a multitude of operations with minimal support. They are truly the go anywhere, accomplish anything force of the human race and have earned the fear and respect of the galaxy.

The final major component of the UNSC is an offshoot of the Navy called the Office of Naval Intelligence, also known as ONI. While once a part of the Navy it has since been decoupled and given it's own branch designation since it serves as the military intelligence and research arm of the UNSC. They work closely with the other branches, particularly SpecWar, as well as several parts of the Systems Alliance government like the CAA, DSC, MTranS, and MI Squared. Despite this cooperation, the Office often sanctions operations and projects on it's own to better facilitate a confidential nature into their clandestine works.

* * *

**Codex Entry: Insurrection Wars**

The Insurrection Wars are a misleading name. It implies a unified force opposing the Systems Alliance and UNSC, which neither war ever had. The unifying theme of the forces that are labeled as insurrectionists is a general distrust of the Systems Alliance and UNSC. The goals and reasons are varied, with some wanting to force humanity to leave the Citadel Charter, others wishing to gain colonial independence from the Systems Alliance, and a small few groups wishing to overthrow the Systems Alliance. No matter the desired outcome, the insurrectionists typically employ methods of violence, sabotage, espionage and sedition.

Following the Interplanetary War there were several generations that understood the price paid for their peace. The Systems Alliance continued the legacy of the UEG with attempting equitable and fair representation, but the byproduct of interstellar colonization was polarization. The populations of the newly formed colonies sent politicians to both houses on Arcturus Station with demands that more attention be paid to providing assistance to build infrastructure. The well established colonies back in the Sol system unified with the nations of Earth to create a block of opposition so that not all money and efforts were wasted on the new colonies.

This political stalemate continued for decades, growing hot and cold. Combined with the distance between the star systems this polarization quickly gave way to cultural pride and failing support for the Systems Alliance or UNSC. Talk of sedition and secession began to become the norm across colonies and back on Earth. Fearing another Interplanetary War, this time spread out across light years and equipped with far greater technology, the Systems Alliance authorized the UNSC to begin quiet operations to identify and eliminate burgeoning threats.

The increasing tensions would come to a boiling point in 2444 over the Naval blockade of the Fucanglong system in the Paramahamsa Sea Cluster. The refinement facility on the asteroid Leviosa was misplacing large quantities of element zero, selenium, and technetium, all monitored materials due to their usage in drive cores and trans light engines. When a freighter leaving the system was boarded by UNSC marines for inspection they were ambushed by rebel forces who quickly dispatched the marines and stormed the UNSC naval vessel, the Callisto. When news of this daring and brazen attack on UNSC forces spread to the rest of the colonies and Earth the First Insurrection War began. The war consisted of series of loosely related flare ups, causing the UNSC grief as they were always one step behind and unable to fully suppress the rebellion without using drastic measure which only served to further alienate the population.

Just as the war seemed to be turning in favor of the UNSC fate intervened with the Turian contact of 2479. The attack on Shanxi created an hasty end to the hostilites between the Systems Alliance, UNSC and the various rebel factions. The entire might and ire of the human race was then focused upon the alien interlopers. The resulting war and armistice opened the human race to an entire galactic community that none knew existed. And for those who still held the grudges of the First Insurrection War, they wished they never had.

Humanity's acceptance in the Citadel charter as an associate race was seen as a boon by some and an outrage by others. The rebel factions that chaffed under the unified and often heavy handed rule of the Systems Alliance grew enraged knowing that now humanity would be subservient to a council of three aliens. The government they loathed wasn't even in charge anymore. The old wounds of the First Insurrection War, hardly healed, were now being picked at by the infections of xenophobia, jingoism and isolationism.

This simmering cauldron of rage would soon explode after the Madrigal SPECTRE incident of 2533. Madrigal, a remote mining colony in the Voyager Cluster, was the scene of a violent chase between Turian SPECTRE Malum Venator and a batarian fugitive that ended in the deaths of seven human colonists. When the Council declared that no charges would be leveled against SPECTRE Venator and that the deaths were an unfortunate side effect of justice the insurrectionist forces now had their rallying cry. The Second Insurrection War would commence on 2536 when human terrorist Ivor Johnstagg attempted to murder the Volus ambassador on the Citadel. Before he was killed he yelled 'Remember Madrigal!'

The war would yet again be a series of flare ups and terrorist attacks by separate forces seeking their own liberation with the added element of the Council closely watching how the Systems Alliance and UNSC handled things. In a strikingly similar fashion to the first, the Second Insurrection War ended with an uneasy truce after an alien force invaded yet another colony. This time the Covenant invasion of Harvest in 2556.

Similarities end there as after the conclusion of the Harvest Campaign, the insurrectionist forces and those sympathetic to their cause saw the inaction of the Council to the invasion of a human planet as the final straw. By 2560 there was a massive exodus of human insurrectionists, sympathizers and disillusioned veterans of the Harvest Campaign into the lawless Traverse and Terminus. Desperate to get away from the control of the Systems Alliance, UNSC and Citadel Council these humans found the threat of the Covenant, Geth, pirates and warlords to be prefferable. The unaffiliated human colonies of Anhur, Horizon, Arvuna, Venezia and Trident, as well as handfuls of much smaller locations, are the legacy of this exodus.

* * *

**Codex Entry: Interplanetary War**

World War Three. The Extinction War. The Interplanetary War. There are some who believe that intelligent, sapient life has a crucial test to pass in it's infancy. Does the species use it's gift of complex thought and problem solving to create a better existence, or does it create better ways to destroy itself? There is evidence throughout the galaxy that some species, including the Krogan, failed this test. It is believed by many that this war was humanity's test.

As conditions worsened on Earth in the late 21st and early 22nd century, tensions increased across the planet. Overpopulation, climate change, and geopolitical instability gave rise to popular political movements. These movements viewed those in power as being responsible for the mounting problems the human race faced, or at the very least too incompetent to manage them. The political fervor turned protests against the state powers into riots, terrorism, and outright rebellion. Displaced populations fled the war zones and crackdowns as refugees sparking border disputes over the humanitarian crisis. Nations not yet engulfed in the civil unrest became paranoid, refusing entry to those seeking asylum and brutally suppressing any domestic dissent.

The final match was struck in 2160 when two such competing movements, the fascist Friedens and communist Koslovics, staged a series of rebellions on the early settlements across the Sol system. When Koslovic forces from a Russian settlement on Luna engaged their Chinese neighbors it sparked the war. Soon China retaliated with coordinated strikes across Eastern and Central Russia followed by a ground invasion. The Russians would respond with horrific bombardments across the Chinese coastline, killing millions within days. The resulting flood of refugees from Central Asia and China would put pressure on nations already experiencing their own internal problems. A border dispute between refugees crossing from Pakistan into India soon led to those nations joining the chorus of war.

Within a year, war raged across every continent, pitting old rivals against one another. In some instances even former allies or fellow countrymen fought each other for control or remaining resources like clean water and healthy farm land. In South America, socialist guerrillas struck across the borders of Brazil, igniting border skirmishes between the nation and her neighbors. The United States suffered it's Second Civil War, eventually dragging in it's trade and economic alliance partners in Mexico and Canada. Elsewhere governments were toppled or the populace clamored for much needed supplies as the transport of goods and food necessary came to a grinding halt once the global economy stopped flowing.

Without leadership, the various UN peacekeepers and other functions were left to fend for themselves. One group, in a refugee camp just outside of Rio de Janeiro, took matters into their own hands. Arming themselves and the refugees, they managed to bring peace and order to that small corner of the country. Word soon spread throughout South America that there was a place were sanity and civilization still stood. People flocked through the war ravaged continent to find this shelter in the safe zone. Once there they joined the growing military force which would soon wash over the continent, obliterating all those who refused to surrender and end the war.

Absorbing more and more recruits from the masses of the disenfranchised and hopeless, men and women who fought to save humanity from itself, the UN force swept across the globe by 2167. Once peace had been achieved here on Earth, the UN Security Council was reconvened. Under threat from the UN military forces, which now had the popular support of the majority of the human race, the Security Council was disbanded and a new, all inclusive government took it's place. The United Earth Government, or UEG, would give equal representation to all people and all nations of the human race.

The first order of business of the UEG was to formalize the UN military and give it the task of bringing the now rogue colonies throughout the Sol system back under control. The newly christened United Nations Security Command, or UNSC, began a massive operation to train and equip an elite fighting force capable of taking back the colonists under any conditions. At the same time transport ships were retrofitted to have warship capabilities to assist and deliver these troops.

Beginning with the assault on Luna, the UNSC forces would slowly but surely rout the colonies in brutal displays of power that concluded with the surrender of settlements on the Jovian moon Callisto. Upon completion of the Interplanetary War in 2171, the UEG passed a resolution, known as the Callisto Treaty, which forbid the formation of a military force outside of the UNSC by any local government.

While the measures were seen as draconian by historians and modern critics what can not be argued is that the people of this era saw death and destruction on a scale humanity has never seen since. The final tally for the Interplanetary War, counting not just deaths by warfare but also those who died as a result of starvation, dehydration or disease tied to the war, numbered to nearly two billion by conservative estimates.

To this day there are many places across Earth where memorials have been placed to commemorate the mass graves of those who died during humanity's darkest hour and greatest test.


	3. No One Expects The Terminus Invasion

**Author's Note: This fanfic will be massively AU, combining elements of Mass Effect and Halo together as one with my own additions. I'll try my best to have unique or entertaining takes on things. I can not stress enough that if you're easily upset that events, technologies and characters do not follow canon sources then this fic will not be for you.**

**Again a debt of gratitude to General User on the Bioware forums for his creation of Mindoir which served to inspire me. Thanks also to my beta for being a co conspirator and soundboard for my crazy ideas over the past year. I know you were skeptical when I first pitched this idea but thanks for hearing me out.**

**Warning to readers, my fic will contain some graphic language, scenes and themes. I'm not doing it for shock value but to show how brutal war and violence can be, and more importantly how they can leave scars long after everything has healed. Some of these characters are just not nice people. If you're not comfortable with this I understand.**

* * *

**Nouveau Basel, Mindoir, Malawi System, Maroon Sea; May 19th 2570 [Standardized Terran Calendar], 0952 [Local Time, Terran Standard]**

Eventually the fields and trees of the farming community gave way to regular construction and prefabricated dwellings that meant we had entered town. We exited at Marktplatz station across from the Konstantestar space elevator facility to the hustle and bustle of people going about their business on a Sunday.

Mindoir was seeing a downswing in investment because of increasing hostility from Terminus forces which in turn was putting pressure on the Systems Alliance to provide funding to the UNSC for the creation of a full compliment of permanent defense forces. The Systems Alliance was reluctant to provide that funding because of political pressure to avoid direct confrontation with the Terminus forces, which everyone knew were aided by the Hegemony. Plus providing a naval fleet, army division or even an orbital defense grid wasn't cheap. So basically no one would do anything until they were forced to.

UNSC Air Force security personnel stood guard outside the elevator facility, flanked by scores of LOKI mechs. That in itself wasn't anything special, but the the fact the guards were armed with assault rifles and full body armor gave me pause. Normally they wore their basic uniforms and light armor, armed with only sidearms. To have them fully loaded for combat was unnerving, but then again it wouldn't be the first time. They stood by at their posts, watching everyone with suspicious eyes and nervous hands clutching their weapons.

Moving beyond the station we walked the hundred meters or so of open space near the train and tether stations where locals would unload their harvests from the trains. The CAA and DCS would have them inspected and weighed before loading them onto the elevator to the station and docked freighters above. Nearing the edge of town proper the smells of Bubba J's BBQ and Binder's Fischmarkt made my mouth water. My hunger from earlier spiked thinking of beef ribs and grilled near-tuna but I focused on what needed to be done first.

We were headed to the authorized dealer for the Jotun drones we used. The harvesting models needed an update to their firmware so they complied to whatever inane standards the Alliance or Council thought up this time. In order to do that we needed to have specialized chips fabricated and that was beyond anything that could be done in the workshop back home. I knew there were ways to get around FRM but I'd probably just screw it up and break the drones. Or get us sued by Jotun Industries. Or both.

We took a shortcut through the open air marketplace where locals filled stalls with fresh produce and dairy products. Laid out as a large rectangular park near the elevator, the marketplace was meant to be a future tourist attraction for when the colony grew larger and prestigious enough to actually have people crazy enough to voluntarily visit. The air was full with the smells of Mindoir's efforts. Fruits, veggies, herbs, bread, pastries, and cheeses. All of them playing havoc with my hunger and begging me to try each of them until I was stuffed.

Since just about everyone in Nouveau Basel was in the farming business, bartering was common and the haggling made it sound like vids of the old stock exchanges back on Earth. Say what you will about backwards colonial lifestyle but there wasn't many places in the galaxy where you could get food like this. Most other humans lived on cloned, frozen, dehydrated, or processed foods only. Besides, vat produced cloned food just didn't have the same nutritional value as the real thing. Plus it always tasted like you were chewing on well cooked rubber.

My attention was drawn towards a stall filled with berries of all kinds which could only mean one thing. The Palinkas. I saw a glimpse of Klara smiling and handing a carton of blueberries to a customer. My heart skipped a beat as her blue eyes make contact with mine before she tucked a strand of her raven black tresses behind her ear and gave me a grin. I was frozen in my spot while she eyed me up until someone must have called her name because she turned around and continued her work for her family booth. My own eyes trailed down her figure to the tight, form fitting pants she wore. The spread of her hips and the curve of her backside made me almost growl.

When it dawned on me that I was staring I looked away and rubbed the back of my neck, trying to hide my embarrassment. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ari giving me a devious smirk and then pointedly looking towards Klara.

No. She wouldn't. Ari's purposeful stride towards the Palinkas' stall gripped me with overwhelming fear. When I saw Klara notice my little sister marching her way she frowned and looked to me, wondering if I was involved. Springing into action I launched myself forward to grab my sister by the wrist and dragged her off before she could do whatever it was she was planning on doing.

Ari managed to wrench her arm free of my grasp by the time we had nearly exited the marketplace, giving me a wide and wicked grin. Continuing along we passed through the streets of the designated 'Old Town' district which was ridiculous given that the colony was only officially older than me by a year, but that was just another facet of preplanned living on a colony. Always thinking ahead, always planning for the future. Like the marketplace, this was a designated commercial zone, with shops that were wildly popular with the locals because, well, you didn't have any alternatives unless you felt like heading up to Konstantestar.

Along the way we greeted people we knew who were going about their business just like us. It was impossible not to know most everyone in a community like this. We went to school together or with their kids. We did business with each other on a regular basis. Hell, since mom was one of the handful of doctors at the local hospital that meant everyone knew who she was. About the only people we didn't know where the UNSC personnel, who pretty much stuck to themselves on their bases spread out across the planet or aboard Konstantestar. Or the LOKI mechs the local police used as patrolmen, but they didn't count since they weren't really people. Not that would ever stop Ari from talking with them to see if the VI had ever been updated to include new greetings.

Going a few more blocks we came to one of the three bridges that spanned the roughly two hundred meter width of the Basel-Rhine River that split the town in two. The far side of the river was what most called 'Real' Nouveau Basel, since this is where most of the residential district was situated. The schools, hospital, emergency responders and administrative offices for the town were located further inland from the river on that side as well.

We crossed along the bridge and I glanced down on the mighty Basel-Rhine. The normally clear water was a muddy brown, meaning rainstorms in the foothills and mountains. Wonderful. It wouldn't be long before the rain started falling here too. The world seemed to be matching my mood perfectly.

On the other side we made a left onto the riverfront promenade, named Augusta Raurica, where restaurants, cafes and the more lucrative businesses in town were. The entire area, like all other aspects of preplanned colonies, was created to evoke the artistic and cultural feel of parts of Earth and it's past in order to remind the people of our home world. In this case, Central Europe, hence the style. Stone railings around the edges of the river and along the bridges stood a meter high before being topped with intricate wrought iron decorative fences. At the edge of each bridge and along every forty meters of the railings, stone posts anchored bronze lamp posts that evoked a look and feel like ancient gas street lamps. Crisscrossing the span between buildings on either side of the river were strings and webs of cable with emitters that would be lit up in the evenings to create the illusion of fireflies, aurora effects or specialized displays for festivals and holidays.

Supposedly it was an incredibly romantic place to take your date. Not that I would know anything about that, of course. The only girls I had dinner with here were my mom and sisters. Somehow I don't think they count unless you're trying to make a joke about the outer colonies and incest. In which case fuck you very much.

We only had to walk a bit before reaching our destination, Karapetian Konnection, specializing in licensed software and firmware as well as sales and repairs for omnitools, terminals and the like. They had no shortage of clients due to the deceptively high amount of automation on Mindoir. Being the only official licensed Jotun service provider in town didn't hurt either.

Stepping inside the shop, we took a moment to bask in the climate controlled cool air of the shop as soon as we walked in. Biggest pain of living in Nouveau Basel was that it was on the equator next to a river at the foot of mountains and a hundred kilometers downwind from the ocean. Hot and humid year round with a light monsoon season which was due to start soon. Hence the need to harvest.

If we were lucky we could squeeze in a trip to the beach after the last load was aboard a freighter and before the storms really kicked in. I know I wouldn't turn down the chance for fun, sun and if I was really lucky, Klara Palinkas in a swimsuit. Provided Ari stayed far, far away, of course. Or was eaten by the damn spider lobsters, the only real predator anyone had to worry about on Mindoir. Either one worked for me.

The store had a very sterile and professional feel that was out of place in the agrarian colony outside of medical facilities. The décor was lots of empty space in brightly lit gray and white tones. Three free standing terminals linked to a fabrication unit on the left wall for self service. A wide assortment of optic gear, audio accessories, omnitools, haptic tools, terminals and datapads for sale or trade lined the right wall. From the cutting edge and new to the used and old, if you wanted it, the owner had it or could get it within a week.

The man in question stood behind a counter at the far end of the room, fiddling with a datapad. Sarkis Karapetian was an average middle aged man in every sense save the excessive tech on his person and the expensive modern wardrobe. A single eye visor adorned his face, a neural interface implant at the base of his neck, an omnitool lined each wrist and datapad in hand. The man lived and breathed his job.

"Hey Sarkis." His raised finger in a universal 'one second' gesture was the only acknowledgment I got.

He continued to tap away on his datapad as Ari and I stood there in the increasingly awkward silence. As the seconds ticked by I shared a glance with my sister, each of us conveying our incredulity.

Sarkis shocked us both when he slammed the datapad down and let loose an angry string of what I guessed was Armenian curses. My omnitool beeped and flashed as a synthetic female voice in a British accent announced "_Language is an unknown human dialect. Please update your index of languages at your earliest convenience for accurate translations._"

I smiled to hide my mortification as I blindly swatted my omnitool's main function button to deactivate the notification. I had forgotten my translator was running.

He must have found the situation humorous since he broke into chuckles but ended in a weary sigh. Rubbing the stubble on his chin he eyed the datapad balefully before pounding his fist on the counter. "Hey kid. I take it you're here for the pieces that conform with the latest regs? The stuff your dad ordered?"

I nodded at his astute guess while Ari wandered off to look at omnitools. Sarkis snorted as he lambasted the foolishness of bureaucrats. "All you can sell or buy in Council space are VI's. What do they think? A bunch of farming bots are going to turn into the next geth?" He dismissed his rant with a disgusted wave of his hand.

I vaguely recalled the geth from the galactic history lessons in school. True AI's create by a race of idiots that lived full time in environmental suits somewhere in the Terminus. Quirdians? Quardians? Something with a Q. I can never remember despite how many times Mom and my sisters would watch Fleet and Flotilla. Important part was that laws and regulations regarding intelligence programming were draconian because of their mistake.

Sarkis continued to vent his frustrations "And to top it off the entire sector has lost all connection with the rest of the planet. Forget anything outside the system."

I frowned as I digested that tidbit. Guess the connection issues extended beyond my omnitool and the train. But the fact we couldn't communicate with other settlements on Mindoir was troubling. "Are the comm buoys out, too?"

Sarkis shrugged "No clue. Satellite. Tightbeam. Microwave. Nothing is working. It's like the locations are offline." Now it was his turn to frown. "I got in contact with the CAA early this morning because the outage effects my business. They said the Oppidum relay up in the Gran Alps had gone silent. They had the Marine detachment headed there but that was hours ago."

Whoa. Oppidum was a UNSC outpost. If they were sending in the Marines to check out one of their own bases then something serious was happening. "Is it Luddites? Totenkopf? URF? FLP?"

Sarkis shook his head in exasperation. "Don't know, don't care. Until I get an extranet connection I can't help you or anyone else. Besides... HEY!"

He looked off towards my sister who was playing with a Serrice omnitool. "Put that down! That's the only model I have for that line!"

Ari quickly placed it back and took a step away while protesting her innocence. "I was just looking."

Sarkis slowly nodded his head while sardonically replying "Yeah, I've heard what you can do when just looking with an omnitool."

"Oh my god!" She was chagrined, her eyes wide as saucers as she glared at me accusingly with her hands on her hips.

I threw my hands up in surrender as I made sure not to be in the path between the two of them. Wherever he had heard of her escapades it wasn't from me.

"Your mother came in here last week looking to get you an omnitool." he explained to Ari's delight and my horror. "But she wanted to know what sort of locks and limits could be put on it. She didn't seem to trust you. Explained why."

My horror only grew as I contemplated the repercussions of this. The galaxy might collapse if Ari ever got regular access to a fabricator and the extranet. Mom must be losing her mind.

"Anyways, until I have an extranet connection, I can't help you out, kid." Sarkis picked up his datapad and resumed playing with it. "Maybe a miracle will happen and Vyrant Telecom will get their shit together. Check back later this afternoon."

I nodded in acceptance as I swallowed my annoyance. All this way into town for a possibly wasted trip. This day was getting more and more awesome as it went on.

If I didn't get the chips today I would have to squeeze in installation and maintenance after school this week on top of homework and chores. The whole point was to do it today so me and dad could focus on the drainage systems during the week.

We exited the store and immediately were enveloped again in the hot and heavy air typical of the colony. Having grown up here it was no big deal but today I was close to losing my temper and everything was annoying me.

"Can we get something to drink? I'm thirsty." Ari's question penetrated my brooding thoughts.

Not a bad idea. Maybe we could get something to eat while we were at it. "You want something from here or the marketplace?"

Ari never answered as a group of five UNSC fighters screamed by overhead, flying low and looping around the town.

What the hell?

Just then my omnitool pinged, an emergency message. Looking around I noticed everyone else around us was getting the same messages, opening them up and then beginning to panic. I quickly slipped on my haptic glove and opened my own only to read a warning for the entire colony.

[\ Colonial Security [A] CAA Mindoir [to] Colonial Registry [A] CAA Mindoir \]

[\ Emergency Colonial Messaging System \]

[\ _WARNING! Emergency Colonial Messaging System. This is not a drill. All civilians are ordered to remain indoors or report to the nearest designated security site or UNSC base. Unidentified vessels have entered the Malawi system and engaged UNSC forces in orbit and on the surface of Mindoir. Repeat. All civilians are ordered to remain indoors or report to the nearest designated security site or UNSC base. Please access the provided link attached to this message to locate your nearest designated security site or UNSC base. Do not engage hostile forces. _\]

"What's happening?" Ari was starting to panic, clutching at my side and frantically trying to read the message.

I didn't know what to tell her besides the truth. "I think we're under attack."

On cue a group of UNSC Marines and one piloted exoskeleton appeared on the far side of the river, yelling and screaming for people to get inside. Which of course only inspired a greater panic, with people doing everything but what they were told.

All of that crescendoed when the UNSC fighters came back around, this time rocketing upwards to meet a swarm of vehicles descending from the sky. A pair of UNSC gunships crested over the top of the buildings on this side of the river and hovered nearby.

"Hey, kid! Get inside!" My awestruck and terrified observations were cut short when a Marine came by and forcibly shoved Ari and me back into Sarkis' doorway. We spun to get inside when a loud explosion struck, sending a blast of heat and force into my back. I ducked and cowered in the doorway, using my body to instinctively protect Ari as a second, more noisy explosion was heard, this time raining down debris.

Once I felt safe that the worst had past I looked over my shoulder and saw that an eery calm had come over the colony. Every person was stunned, as if in a trance, looking to where one of the gunships had careened into the buildings on the far side of the river, smashing itself and everything in it's path to bits before coming to a rest on the river walk. I frowned and wondered what the hell caused that to happen. I didn't have to wait long to find out.

Looking back to the sky I could see the remaining gunship and fighters had engaged the swarm. All around town atmospheric and orbital defense placements activated, targeting the swarm with a barrage of fire from mass acceleration cannons, missile pods and laser turrets. Errant rounds and missiles began showering down from the attackers as they sought to destroy the defenses. Under cover of the deafening sounds of explosions the real hysteria began, breaking the trance like state that gripped everyone.

One of the vehicles in the swarm, looking like some type of fighter, broke from the rest and began tracing the river, descending lower beneath the torrent of defense fire. It only took a matter of seconds for it to reach the edge of the town, some four kilometers down the river, and begin unleashing hell. It's aim was indiscriminate, launched into automated defense placements, clusters of people and structures with equal abandon.

Seeing the course of destruction the Marine from earlier grabbed the two of us, shoving us to the railing near the river. Seconds later something explosive rocketed into the front of Sarkis' building, caving in the front and sending chunks of debris flying outwards in a deadly shower that ripped through people. The Marine sheltered us with her body, the kinetic barriers of her armor activating to take the brunt of the abuse. She still grunted, some of the debris no doubt making it through and hitting against her composite armor.

As the fighter flew on by the exoskeleton on the far side of the river took aim and fired back, it's own kinetic barriers and armor having stopped a direct hit from a missile. The returned favor sliced through the barriers of the fighter and hit one of the rear thrusters, causing it to begin to fly erratically until it spun out of control, snapping through the web of cables, smashing into the river walk further down and eventually sliding into the river itself.

Our respite was short lived as the swarm had nearly descended upon the town, despite the heroic efforts of the UNSC fighter pilots and lone gunship. The attacking ships scattered and spread out, hovering well above the tallest buildings. Their armaments making short work of the automated defenses, which seemed to be firing less and less frequently as their numbers dwindled. Now that the attackers were closer I could see these were nothing like anything the UNSC or Alliance used. No logos or emblems. Lots of wear and tear covered up by bad paint jobs.

A side door slid open on the nearest vehicle, a gunship of sorts, about fifty meters down the river. A very human like shape in full black body armor and helmet leaned out holding a massive gun with a ridiculously wide barrel.

At the sight of a weapon the marines and exoskeleton took aim, but there were too many of them. Screams, running, and shoving were rampant as the populace not already killed or injured by the first salvo tried to get out of the gunman's sights. The Marine that had protected us stood from her position and began firing on the gunman.

Despite the chaos around me my mind oddly honed in on the details of the ships. This wasn't some insurrectionist attack. It was certainly why the comms were down, but I had the bad feeling this was something much worse than insurrectionists.

A steady, rhythmic 'fwuump' sound could be heard followed by something metallic and slightly hollow bouncing and rolling against things. A dull green canister ricocheted off the second story of the building across the esplanade, sending chips of cement flying everywhere before landing a handful of meters away from our cover.

The three of us, myself, Ari and the Marine, watched transfixed as it rolled slower and slower towards us. By now I could make out letters and numbers in blockish yellow script. From what I saw it wasn't any human language I'd ever seen before but the Marine seemed to know what it was. She charged it down and punted it down the esplanade, screaming "Gas!"

The canister emitted a shrill beep before both ends explosively popped off and a noxious smelling yellow white gas began streaming out. Even at this distance my eyes and nose burned as I gagged for breath. Besides me Ari frantically clawed at my shoulder as she tried to breath. The Marine had donned a breather system and resumed her weapons fire on the shuttle and it's gunner. As my vision got worse I relied upon my hearing but all I could make out in the midst of my asphyxiation were explosions, gunfire and the screams of the terrified or dying.

Instinctively I pulled Ari along as we crawled on hands and knees towards the bridge while coughing up our lungs. The cacophony of terror and thick haze of gas covered our escape but left us virtually blind as to what was going on around us but judging by the sounds it wasn't good.

That would be remedied the second I pulled my head past the edge of the railing to look down the length of the bridge. The air here was less thick with gas and I could see at least two dozen bodies laid out in various states of brutality as those still alive writhed and screamed in agony. Holes the size of an infant's fist punched through torsos and limbs sheered off by explosive force. Blood pooled and combined to create a slick along the middle of the bridge.

A man and woman ran past us and onto the bridge, trying to reach the other side. He led her by the hand while she trailed behind. They had nearly made it halfway when she was blown to her side as a round punched through her abdomen. The man stopped in his tracks and looked back towards his companion in shock. That is until another round ripped through the back of his skull and out his left cheek, causing his head to explode in a shower of gore that bathed the woman while she lay at his feet clutching the gaping wound in her midsection. His body collapsed in comically slow fashion, knees first, before it twitched uncontrollably. She stared with traumatized wide eyes, her pale face covered in his blood, before two more rounds punched into her chest and throat, knocking her flat on her back.

Even with the Marines fighting back this was a death trap but running towards the buildings on our side of the river without cover might be worse. If we could just crawl against the railing of the bridge we might make it across. From there we make it to the train or road and get home.

A strangled scream caused me to whip my head around and I saw the Marine from earlier writhing on the ground, pulling off her helmet and reaching at her waist line for something. I wasn't sure what had happened until I saw the blood pouring freely from underneath her chestplate, coating her neck and lower jaw crimson. Beyond her I could see the black armor clad figures had made it to the ground and were focused on exchanging fire with forces on the other side of the river, but it left no doubt in my mind that they had injured the Marine. Near death and furious, she finally grasped what she was looking for, her sidearm, and rolled over to take aim at the nearest of her attackers. She squeezed the trigger, having the element of surprise and tore down her target's shielding quickly in a burst of purple and gold sparks. Two more rounds then pierced into the back of the target's head, spraying a blue mist of blood as they punched out through the front of the black helmet. The attacker's body slumped forward only to be knocked backwards as fire from the other side of the river impacted with the corpse.

One of the comrades of the slain attacker turned their aim on the fallen Marine and unleashed a brutal stream of automatic fire. The weapon's slugs tore down her kinetic barrier and then shredded the Marine, her body twitching before going limp. The pistol in her hands fell as her grip loosened in death.

Witnessing the carnage made the choice easy. I swallowed back a coughing fit before leaning across the post and onto the bridge. I had crawled a few meters when I had the urge to look back and check on Ari. She was still frozen near the post, curled up in a ball staring in horror at the fallen Marine. What was she doing?

She looked at me with tear filled eyes, too overwhelmed and frightened to move. Hugging her knees to her chest she resumed her staring at the Marine's body and her killers, trying her hardest to curl into a tiny ball and hope they didn't see her.

The sound of the shuttle's thrusters grew louder and I panicked looking up and over the railing. The attacking gunship was hovering not too far away now. Through the clearing haze of the gas I could make out at least nine more black armor clad troops jumping out and fanning the area, rifles raised and at the ready.

I ducked back down and made insistent gestures that Ari hurry. Thankfully, she got the hint as she rapidly crawled her way towards me with her eyes closed. Once she got near I resumed my crawling and did my best to block out the pitiful moans and pleas for help from the dying on the bridge. There was nothing I could do.

We stopped at the edge of the bridge railing to assess our options. Across the esplanade on this side of the river the bridge turned into a side street that lead back towards the marketplace. Beyond that was the train station and the main road out into the farm land. All around it looked like the Marines had fallen back or been slaughtered, the hulking wreck of the exoskeleton still smoking and what was left of the pilot's charred body still strapped into the harness. The sounds of gunfire and explosions could be heard echoing from all corners of town.

Taking a glance back to the other side of the bridge, one of the assailants had started moving towards the collection of bodies. Before he saw us he was fired upon by a group of NBPD officers backed up by their LOKI mechs who emerged from a side street on the other side of the river. A golden haze sprung up around him as a kinetic barrier took the brunt of the surprise attack. He rushed forward to lean against the bridge railing for cover as he and his comrades returned fire.

Utilizing the distraction, Ari and I scrambled past the post that marked the end of the bridge railing, bracing our backs against the low stone wall of the river railing. As the shoot out raged on sending errant rounds whizzing over our heads I contemplated our next move. It was an open space of about twenty meters to the side street in front of us. From there we could hide behind the parked cars. But with the attackers on the bridge we'd be seen in seconds.

The gunship drifted directly above us, the heat of the thrusters blowing unbearably hot air down. From out vantage point we saw the large muzzle of it's primary weapon beginning peppering a location on the far side of the river. The gunner used short bursts for nearly half a minute before going silent.

An eerie calm settled across the area accompanied by the distant sounds of gunfire, the flow of the river and the dull roar of the gunship's thrusters. Shots rang out again, breaking the silence and I stupidly looked beyond the post, glimpsing the armored figure now walking amongst the bodies on the bridge and placing shots into those that still breathed. Clearly the small battle was over and the attackers were still standing.

A tapping of my shoulder brought me back. Ari was pointing to a small alley between buildings about another forty meters down the river walk. It was better than nothing. Maybe it would lead to another side street, or at worst, an entrance to a building. It was still better than waiting for these people to get closer to our hiding spot.

With Ari leading the way, we crawled along the railing until we were across from our goal. Gathering courage, I took one last look over the railing to see if we were being watched. The figures seemed content to break in doors and storm shops on the other side of the river. The gunship was still hovering over us but was facing the wrong direction. We were in the clear. For now.

I nodded at Ari and held up three fingers. She started intently at them while I counted down to zero.

On my mark, we ran for the alley as I heard a voice yell in a deep, guttural language. Shots rang out yet again and we narrowly made it to the safety of the narrow alley as they rang off the walls around us. We kept running, dodging past recycling and compost bins until we came to the end which emptied onto a cross street. Overhead I heard the thrusters of the gunship as it began searching for us. Quickly looking left then right, I saw no other dangers. Grabbing Ari, I ran to the right, headed for the nearest intersection that I hoped would lead us back towards the marketplace.

We knelt at the edge of the intersection, crouching inside the broken doorway of a clothing shop. There were very few bodies here and there, the handful of unlucky souls. Most of the damage was from busted windows, debris, wrecked vehicles and obvious signs of panic. The gunship completed a circuit over the area before it doubled back to the river, ignoring us. Waiting a moment to make sure we were not being followed, we then continued on. This time making a left as we hugged the buildings and crouched low.

We slowly made our way down a series of streets but maintained our course, the only signs of life we saw were the skirmishes between the remaining UNSC air assets and the attackers. The further along we got, the more and more bodies and destruction we saw. All were laid out from random automatic fire. Whoever these bastards were, they were indiscriminate and thorough in their carnage.

Clearing another street we froze as a large NBPD mech, a YMIR I think, heavily damaged but still going strong, stomped it's way right past us. It's sensors must have registered our presence because it quickly spun to point the the cannon on it's right arm on it's new targets. Ari stifled a scream and I fell backwards trying to scramble away. The mech disregarded us and returned to stomping along it's course, looking for attackers to engage.

We neared the open air marketplace but the blood curdling screams coming from that direction were enough to stop us in our tracks. Ari and I looked at one another, afraid of what lay in our path. My mind began working overtime, trying to find some sort of pattern or sense to what was happening. Why had they not chased us? It was obvious more of the attackers had been through here. The empty canisters, damage from errant fire and bodies were testament to that. So where had they gone? Something was not right here. Well, besides the entire part where my colony is under siege.

We crept the last block and my suspicions were correct. There was something wrong here. Very wrong. The attackers had taken a large concentration of people and had them all kneeling silently in the marketplace under the threat of aimed weapons. One by one they were grabbing their prisoners, who fought back sobbing and screaming, and drilling something into the base of their skulls. That was where the blood curdling screams were coming from. I flinched as I recognized the father of one of my classmates being manhandled, held firmly while the drilling device bored into his skull. His inarticulate roar of pain made me feel a sympathetic surge of phantom pain, grasping at the back of my own head as I stifled a sob.

Regaining my wits I saw that another handful of the attackers were herding groups of those who had been drilled out of the marketplace towards the train station and space elevator.

One of the attackers had taken off his helmet and I got a good look at him. A batarian. These definitely were not insurrectionists. Observing the various attackers in black armor I noted several that couldn't even be human. Odd shaped heads. Too tall. Too massive. With this many different races working together these had to be Terminus pirates.

With our way to the train and road cut off I was out of ideas except to keep moving west through the town and risk being caught. Behind me Ari poked me. I turned around and she looked frightened at being this close to what was happening but still gestured as if to say 'now what?'

Indeed. Now what?

I looked at several of the sky cars parked along the road but I had no clue how to get past the security systems that locked you out. The vids all made is seem simple, just one hacking program and you were on your way to grand theft VTOL. But in reality the average sky car had so many safety and security systems it would take minutes to steal one even if I knew what I was doing.

Activating my omnitool I tried to call my Mom or Dad, but I still received the no connection error. Obviously the pirates had shut down all communications for the colony after that emergency message so they could attack with impunity.

Wracking my brains for inspiration I suddenly was given the answer as I stared at the sign for Binder's Fischmarkt on the far side of the marketplace with the space elevator rising into the atmosphere behind it. Daniela Vescovi sat next to me in science class and always remarked that the class room smelled like the loading docks in the back of Binder's where she worked as a cashier. Those same loading docks were directly across from the Konstantestar elevator tether complex. Which was next to the Marktplatz train station and path out of town.

Grabbing Ari, we backtracked and made our way west around the streets that encompassed the marketplace, careful to not be seen and ignoring the screams of pain. We paused at the first intersection and hid inside of a pharmacy, careful to hold back the small hacking coughs leftover from our exposure to that gas as a troop of the pirates escorted another two or three dozen people from the direction of the river walk at gun point to the marketplace.

Once the coast was clear we dashed across the intersection and then crawled over a terrestrial car which had run off the road and into a building, blocking our path. It's driver shot and killed while still behind the wheel, leaving his vehicle to ram a crowd judging by the bodies laying nearby. Pinned between the vehicle and wall was an older woman who looked like she had died already.

Or so I thought. She perked up at the noise and movement as we slid quickly over the hood, her blue eyes glassy and unfocused. "...p...please..."

My sister and I froze, partly in fear of being caught and partly in fear of not knowing what to do? Please what? I couldn't help her. Even if I got her out... then what? I mean I knew more than a bit of first aid. You can't be the son of a doctor and not know. But she was pinned against the wall. That's a bit beyond basic first aid.

Besides the vehicle wasn't running, and I doubt the driver shut it off before he died. Which meant that I couldn't drive it. Well, maybe I could leverage it? Push it away from the wall enough? But that might cause too much noise. And waste time.

The woman stared at me pitifully, unable to say anything else. I looked away, frustrated and distraught. I couldn't just leave her here. I mean, I had kept crawling on the bridge. I didn't help any of those people. I hadn't bothered to check any of the bodies along the way. I looked at the ones littering the street and sidewalks nearby. How many of them might still be alive? The screams coming from those still alive made me think that those who died here or were close to dying got it easy.

A memory from ages ago about my mother lecturing me over stealing fruit from a neighbor's orchard pushed to the front of my mind. '_Integrity and character are what a person has when no one else is looking._' I snorted to myself, she sure didn't listen to her own advice did she?

I looked back at the pinned woman, staring into her eyes. Guilt and my conscience taking over, I made the decision. I scrambled to brace my back against the wall and place my feet at the front fender of the vehicle. "Ari, watch to see if anyone comes."

"What? We have to go!" Ari was terrified but my non answer and beginning to push with my legs showed her I was serious. She huffed and crawled to a car ten meters away and peered over the trunk, her body language tense and annoyed.

I swallowed back the grunts and roars that felt natural with exertion as I continually pressed my feet against the fender, squeezing a centimeter or two of extra gap space. A few more and I could get her out. I hope.

My thighs and calves strained as one last push rocked free enough space to reach over and grab her leg, pulling her towards me. The woman fell over in a heap, her hips falling into my lap as my arms braced her back and head. She smiled faintly up at me before coughing up blood. She didn't have any major cuts or wounds, but her midsection was warped something fierce. Her lower rib cage look like it had been folded into her chest cavity and her abdomen oddly distorted like everything there had been shifted.

I reached to her left arm and slung it over my right shoulder as I hugged her to me and picked up her legs just above the knees with my other arm. Standing up took some effort, but I managed to carry her bridal style towards Ari. I know I hadn't thought this through fully, but if I could get this woman back to the farm, maybe mom could help her.

My sister took one look at the woman and quickly looked away, her face screwed up in terror and tears at the sight of the woman's body. "Can we go now?"

I nodded, and Ari led the way, her steps fearful and cautious as her head seemed to swivel left and right ever other second.

Crossing to the far side of the street, we made a left at the intersection and began moving towards the outskirts of town, careful to observe everything around us. My back and arms protested carrying the dead weight of the woman but I squeezed my lips together, afraid to let even a breath pass them in case it turned into a cough, grunt or groan.

We made it to the opposite end of the marketplace, creeping around Binder's Fischmarkt to the loading docks. The putrid smell of fish mixed with the oppressive heat of the day to make me want to gag. As if that wasn't bad enough the fantastic luck I had been having all day reared it's head yet again.

Several of the pirates guarded a large trail of people leading from the marketplace and towards the space elevator. Trying to think of what to do next I absently noted there were batarians, krogans, jiralhanae, asari, turians, kig-yar and even some humans in the ranks of the pirates. All around the open space, the bodies of the UNSC Air Force guards were laid out and stripped of armor and weapons. A nauseating weight sunk into my stomach. They were slavers. Nouveau Basel was being attacked for slaves. People I had known my whole life were going to be taken into the Terminus or Hegemony space to be sold like livestock.

"What are they doing to them?" Ari's voice was soft and scared. She had to know but was probably blindly holding out for some other explanation. I wasn't going to ruin her fantasy for her.

"Doesn't matter." I sighed and knelt down, placing the woman with her back up against the loading dock. I shook my arms to get a feeling other than burning exhaustion back into them. We were hidden behind a pair of sky trucks parked in the loading docks but this had turned into another dead end. Nearby another gunship did a flyby but either didn't see us or didn't care.

Still, we couldn't stay here for long.

I went to grab the woman again but her head lolled to the side and her body followed, slowly sliding to her left until she was lying upon the floor. I shook her once, twice. No response. I felt for a pulse on her neck and wrist. Nothing. She had died.

I didn't even know who she was. She looked familiar enough. Medium build, brown hair, blue eyes. I sighed yet again.

Ari looked on with pity. She opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by a female voice with a foreign sounding accent. "We know you're there. Come out and we won't have to kill you."

We froze. Someone had seen us.

Thinking quickly I noticed the stairs for the loading dock less than ten meters beyond the safety of the sky trucks With luck, the back doors to Binder's were open and we could make a run for it through the front. It wasn't a good plan, but it was a plan.

Pointing to the stairs I prepared for a fight. They had the advantage of weapons, but if they got in close I was going to hit them with everything I had. Once again I counted down from three and once again, Ari and I broke into a dead sprint.

Only this time, a batarian was waiting for us. He had been positioned outside of our view on the other side of the farthest sky truck nearest the stairs. Stepping into our path he swung a baton that crackled with electricity at Ari's head and luckily she ducked and kept running.

I took advantage of his swing and a miss to lower my left shoulder into his midsection and tackle him to the floor. A wild haymaker with my right smashed dead center between his four eyes, dazing him and loosening his grip on the baton. I grabbed it and jabbed it at his neck and he spasmed as volts of electricity coursed through his body.

"Don't. Move. Human." The female voice was back and it had pressed a muzzle to the base of my neck.

I never got to say anything else as an wild girlish roar bellowed from behind the both of us. Ari leaped from the loading dock onto the back of the person holding me at gunpoint. I turned to see her savagely kicking and punching at the unprotected rear of our attacker, an asari. Thankfully the pistol never went off in the process.

The asari shrugged off the blows and expertly backhanded Ari with her left fist, knocking her backwards into the loading dock. I took the opportunity of her divided attention to stab the baton at her but she knocked it aside with the barrel of her pistol before snap kicking me with her left leg.

Recoiling and grasping my throbbing abdomen I was able to see that we had drawn attention from the other guards and the mass of people being filed to the elevator. I could see from my vantage point on the floor that a few of the pirates had started heading our direction, failing to pay attention to their charges.

I suppose our bit of defiance had sparked enough courage in the rest because a handful of the people charged the pirates. Shots and yells rang out as close quarter melees erupted with several people piling upon individual pirates.

My asari opponent looked on with narrowed eyes before glaring at me. She muttered something in asari before raising her pistol to shoot me. My omnitool beeped and flashed as yet again my translator program did it's job. "_Asari, Illium-Omega dialect; You bastard child of a night wind demon._"

She frowned, caught off guard by the odd interruption to her execution. Before she could refocus Ari jumped onto her back again, this time grabbing onto her scalp fringes and yanking back. With the asari's neck exposed, Ari leaned forward, bared her teeth and took a savage chunk out like a wild animal. Purple blood squirted out of the wound and sprayed the side of the sky truck in some avant-garde art display as the asari dropped her weapon and clutched her throat.

Ari fell off and spit the offending piece of flesh out and wiped her lips with the hem of her shirt leaving a purple smear across her chin and right cheek. Her eyes held a fierce and almost feral satisfaction as the asari dropped to her knees, fumbling for something in the pouches on her waist.

I didn't give her anytime to find it as I picked up the baton and shoved it into her chest. She looked at me with pleading eyes as the shock dulled her senses before collapsing to the floor and an expanding pool of her own purple blood.

Looking back at the full blown riot, most of the pirates had been taken down but now the shuttles and gunships were flying overhead. Their side doors open as gunners once again fired the canisters of gas to pacify and disorient the crowd. Those who had commandeered weapons were firing for naught, unable to bring them down without something heavier.

The crowd was dispersing back into the safety of the buildings of town, with a handful of people headed our way. Back in the marketplace, the sounds of rioting and carnage could be heard anew as maybe the people there were fighting back. At least I hoped so.

I quickly picked up the asari's pistol before anyone else could and handed the baton off to Ari. She took a few experimental swings with it before nodding to herself as it met some sort of requirements.

We ran up the dock stairs and opened the back doors to Binder's, the positively lovely smell Daniela complained about greeting us. We stood and looked around for threats but were pushed aside as the crowd had now caught up with us.

They stormed past, picking up anything that could be used as a weapon and continued to the front of the store. Ari and I were content to let them go first. We'd done enough risking of our own lives.

Giving the pistol I had taken from the dead asari a quick glance I was relieved to see that it was some sort of Terminus knock off. I quickly paired it to my omnitool like I had seen dad do with the rifle he owned and was rewarded when it activated, ready to use.

I glanced at Ari to see if she was okay. Her hair had come loose from the ponytail it had been in, the illuminated threads looking out of place now. Her skin was sweaty and grimy. She had the beginning of a bruise just below her left eye where the asari had hit her and she drying purple blood that was starting to flake on her lips and cheeks. "You alright?"

Her eyes looked up at me annoyed "I just fucking bit an asari. What do you think?"

She was freaking out now that it had settled into her mind what she had done. Not that I wasn't freaking out myself. My baby sister had just saved my life by mauling an asari. With her teeth. As if Ari couldn't get even more frightening.

Still, I couldn't help but joke at the situation, "Just don't bite me, alright?"

She glared but the corners of her mouth lifted. Success.

I pulled her close and hugged her to show my thanks. She wrapped her arms around my torso tightly and hugged back, making the tender bruise from where the asari had kicked me throb.

"C'mon. Let's get out of here." She nodded and we continued to the front of the fish market. By now everyone had left so the place was empty. Holding tanks filled with fish and crustaceans bubbled and the soft sound of background music from the store's entertainment system interspersed with reminders for sales in the store could be heard.

Shelves and displays were knocked over, spilling contents to the floor and leaving a pungent odor. Still, no bodies. I guess they had taken everyone peacefully in the store?

Creeping forward through an aisle with sauces and marinades for seafood we came to a stop. We could clearly see the front of the store and through the smashed out glass windows the marketplace beyond. The sounds of gunfire could be heard in the distance. People were still fighting back, but the marketplace itself was empty bar for a handful of bodies mixed in amongst the stalls and small grass field of the park. Upon closer observation, several of the bodies had small... spears? Javelins? Whatever they were they were sticking out of them.

Edging closer all of the bodies seem to spread out from the front of the store. Looking around I now noticed a handful of the same small spike like objects lodged into stalls or the grass. All at an upward angle.

No sooner had I noticed that than a loud whizzing sound was heard as something flew past my right ear so fast I couldn't react. It slammed into a row of sauces farther back, causing them to shatter and explode white droplets of tartar and shards of glass everywhere.

Ari screamed and we both jumped back, scrambling to get deeper into the store.

Breathing heavily after my second close brush with death I examined my ear to check for blood. Seeing none on my fingers I concluded that perhaps my luck had a strange sense of humor today.

With that path cut off, we doubled back to the loading dock. Checking through the windows on the doors I saw the area around the space elevator was clear of gas and pirates. They must still be chasing down everyone in town.

Figuring we had nothing to lose by running I quickly formulated another half assed plan. We would run for the train rails and follow them out of town. As soon as we were past Nouveau Basel proper, we would move over to the levees and aqueducts that separated the river from the farms.

I quickly relayed my idea to Ari. "We're going to follow the train rails back home until we can run for the aqueducts. From there we follow those until we can branch off to the one that feeds into our farm. Okay?"

She narrowed her eyes as she thought about it before nodding her consent.

Pistol raised, as if I knew what I was doing with it, we opened the loading dock door and slowly made our way down. Pausing at the edge of the docks we scanned the skies and area for threats. The bodies of the dead were strewn about haphazardly. The asari that we had taken out lay peacefully in a pool of her own purple blood but the batarian was gone. Seeing nothing that could be considered a threat, we made a mad dash across the open hundred meters or so for the Marktplatz station.

My heart pounded with each step and lungs burned with each breath as I worried it would be my last. As we drew near the platform I glanced over my shoulder to see shuttles and gunships flying back and forth over town. For the time being they were preoccupied and we were safe.

From pirates at least. I never said anything about my own feet, which betrayed me for a second time today as I tripped over a rail and went flying head first into the dirt.

Not even pausing for self pity or pain I scrambled to my feet and joined Ari on the far side of the platform, both of us sitting down and leaning against the station as we caught our breath. I wiped my face and found some blood mixing with sweat and dirt to create a sort of mud. I pulled the hem of my shirt up to clean myself. A spot above my left eyebrow stung as it made contact and I pulled back, observing a large bloody mark that corresponded with the position of the pain and a smaller one that was about where my lips were.

Sucking on my bottom lip I was rewarded with coppery taste of blood. Great. All this and I get the most injured by my own clumsiness.

Ari frowned at me before shaking her head "Seriously? Twice?"

I grimaced and shrugged, still too embarrassed and annoyed to say much. I nudged her with my elbow and nodded my head in the general direction of home. We had quite a walk ahead of us.

She got the hint and we prepared to start jogging to leave town behind.

* * *

**Nouveau Basel, Mindoir, Malawi System, Maroon Sea; May 19th 2570 [Standardized Terran Calendar], 1517 [Local Time, Terran Standard]**

We had been walking along the trench of the aqueduct for nearly four hours now. Luckily we had the cool fresh water of the aqueduct to drink and clean ourselves off with but our stomachs grumbled and feet hurt as the adrenaline had worn off long ago. Thankfully we had the foresight to wear boots instead of trainers.

Then again, does anyone start their day thinking, '_What should I wear today that is fashionable, sensible and would be handy if Terminus pirates attack?_' Of course not. Because no one ever expects the Terminus Invasion.

"How much longer?" Ari had asked this question almost every fifteen minutes starting about two hours ago.

I crawled up the side of the trench to get a better view of where we were only to be pleasantly surprised. We had already passed the station near our house. The next gate would mark the sub system that fed water into our sector of farms.

Taking a glace skyward I noticed no shuttles or gunships in the air. We had only seen one that seemed to be chasing a sky car, but that was not long after we made it to the aqueducts.

Turning around I slide down the slope of the trench only to frown at Ari who was sitting down next to the edge of the water and jabbing the tip of the stun baton into the water to see what happened.

She looked up at me with a sheepish grin before doing it one more time.

Shaking my head at her antics I couldn't help but appreciate the levity. "We're almost there."

She pouted and skeptically replied "You said that ages ago too."

I rolled my eyes and waved her on "I mean it this time. The next junction is the one that leads to our house."

Immediately she perked up at the news "Really?"

I nodded and smiled. "Yeah, so hurry up." With that I turned an continued marching along the side of the trench. Ari stood and fell in step behind in me.

In a matter of minutes we were at the gated junction, marked AF-S312. Since the gate was designed to keep large animals and debris out of the water system we couldn't slip past it. But it was easy enough to climb out of the main trench and jump into the feeder aqueduct.

This system was smaller and narrower, forcing us to actually walk in the water. It came up to my hips and to Ari's stomach so it was manageable but slow going. The sloshing made plenty of noise so we would stop every few meters to listen for shuttles or pirates before pressing on.

We had managed to make it midway past Sprague's farm when we stopped in our tracks, hearing arguing coming from ahead. The narrow canal gave us a straightforward view for kilometers so the owners of the voices had to be up on either side of the aqueduct. They were speaking in a human sounding language, but that asari had spoken in a human language as well. We couldn't be sure.

I leaned to the side of the canal and reached up to the edge to lift myself up slowly, making as little noise as possible. Peering over the top I saw nothing but the fields of Sprague's farm in all directions. Twisting my head to look behind me, I saw nothing but the Nash family's farm.

No one. Not a soul.

I was about to let go and slide back down into the canal when a distortion in the air on Sprague's side caught my eye. It was like when you look off into the distance on a hot day and everything looks wavy and watery. Heat haze. The mirage effect.

Only this one seemed to be standing several meters away, just in front of Sprague's field of herbs.

Feeling nervous, I pulled the pistol from my waistband and aimed it vaguely in the direction of the distortion. Just as quickly, a red laser was aimed at my face from the distortion as it slowly washed away.

In it's place was a dark skinned Asian woman wearing some kind of black colored armor with a beige diamond emblem over her left breast. She was leveling a military grade assault rifle at me, it's laser range finder showing my nose would be the entry point of the last thing I ever saw. "You don't want to do that."

I nodded dumbly and placed the pistol on the edge. The woman nodded and lowered her weapon, motioning me to stand up. "You can tell your friend she can come out too."

My face froze, trying not to betray any knowledge of what she was talking about but the woman was having none of it. "The quicker you two get out of there, the quicker we get out of sight. Hurry up."

Below me Ari huffed and mumbled "Help me up."

After securing Ari's baton, the woman led us further down the dirt pathway next to the canal and towards the shed that housed the pumps for the irrigation system on Sprague's property. She quickly opened the door and motioned us in before following us. With the door closed it was pitch black inside the cramped room save for a glowing red dot that bobbed around and the orange glow of a terminal. The place was noisy and filled with smoke but a growling voice I knew was easy to hear over the din.

"What are you doing bringing in strays, Suhailah?" Old Man Sprague. Sure, because this day couldn't possibly get worse, right?

The woman, Suhailah, replied from somewhere to my left in the dark. "They're children. You expected me to leave them to die?"

"I expect you to do your job and as you are told, you fucking idiot." Ah, that lovely Sprague charm.

A drop light was activated that bathed the room in harsh white luminescence forcing me to shield my eyes. After blinking, once, twice, thrice, I still had flashes and globs of abstract colors in my vision. To make it worse, the light seemed to illuminate the extraordinary amount of dust and smoke floating in the air, which may or may not have triggered a coughing fit from me. Ari didn't seem to be faring any better.

Old Man Sprague sat atop a work bench at the far end of the room, a set of armor not unlike the woman's adorning his tall, lanky frame. His trusty ancient shotgun perched on his lap while he smoked a cigarette. To the right a Latino man in the same armor was bent over some large portable terminal.

Sprague sneered at the sight of us. "Well this fucking figures. Colony's going to shit but I have to run into the two of you one last time." He ground his cigarette into the work bench, putting out it's ember against the metal before looking over at the Latino man. "What about you, Ramirez? Is one of you going to be competent today?"

The man, Ramirez I suppose, ignored him and continued to work diligently.

"We haven't heard from leadership yet?" Suhailah asked with a frown. She leaned back against the wall of the shed and held the rifle loosely in her arms. She looked exhausted and worn down, her face and hair sweaty.

Standing up and shaking his head, Sprague replied. "No, and if Ramirez doesn't move his ass then I am making the call and initiating a purge."

The woman pointed her weapon towards Ari and myself . "What about them?"

He shrugged before staring with cold hatred at Ari "You brought them here. You deal with them. Although I'd watch the little bitch. Nasty little shit."

Besides me Ari snarled back, eager to continue her discussion with the man from years ago.

Suhailah bristled at something he said because she voiced her dissent with more than a little heat "This is unacceptable. I didn't join to stand by while aliens execute humans in order to protect drug dealers."

"Tough shit, princess. I didn't join to live on some backwards fucking colony where the best pussy is some farmer's underage daughter. We make due with what we have and follow orders." Sprague pinned her with an ice cold glare "Or else."

"Got it!" Ramirez broke the tension of the room. He looked up from the terminal with a cocky grin.

Sprague snatch up an earpiece from the workbench and put it in his ear. He stood motionless, eyes staring off into the distance as he tapped his fingers against the metal counter top. A moment later he began speaking to the ether with a frown "Who the fuck is this?"

His frown distorted into a confused grimace "I don't give a shit about proper clearance codes. This is Operation Bacchanalia initiating a purge. I repeat, initiating a purge. The fucking colony is being over run by goddamn Terminus shit stains."

Everyone in the room sat in slack jawed awe of the spectacle on display. Even Ari seemed impressed.

His grimace became a look of pure annoyance "Look, you stupid kangaroo cunt. You can take your protocol and shove it up your Aussie ass. Inform Tim."

He paused for a moment before becoming sarcastically calm. "Then find me someone who doesn't have their head down under and can get in contact with him, bitch."

He snarled at a figure not present "Let me set this straight for you, you inbred wombat fornicating outback sperm receptacle. The Terminus jackass squad are either torching or pillaging what we have as we speak. If they're not, then the UNSC certainly will when they show up in force within the next goddamn 24 hours. Now you can pass this message along to whoever it is your fancy fucking protocol dictates, but make sure Tim knows. We are purging."

He paused yet again before become sickeningly sweet "Thank you. G'day, mate. Now go fuck yourself with a wallaby, you Tasmanian dipshit." He terminated the call and tore the earpiece out. "Pack it up. We move out in five."

Ramirez nodded, deactivating the terminal before stuffing it into a hard case backpack which he slung over his shoulders.

Sprague bent down below the workbench to pull away the lid to a false floor stash. Large, brick shaped blocks were being pulled out and stacked to his side as he found a rhythm of retrieving objects from below.

I hesitated for a moment, not really wanting to be the subject of his ire, before asking the obvious "So, is it alright that we go?"

Without looking up Sprague replied "The two of you can go skipping through my fields hand in hand singing the hills are alive with the sound of music for all I give a shit."

After an awkward beat of silence, Sprague looked at all the occupants of the shed before shaking his head. "Fucking kids these days. No appreciation for the classics."

Sprague spared another glace at the two of us before snorting and continuing to pull bricks from the hiding spot. Suhailah shook her head at the man before handing me back my pistol and Ari her baton.

Without a word I grabbed Ari's hand and led her out of the shed. Of course, all things being screwed up for the day, Ari couldn't resist a parting shot with her sparring partner. "You're a shit eating reptile that fucks it's own mother. Asshole."

The chuckles of Suhailah and Ramirez were quickly cut off by the automatic closing of the door. I stared at Ari in exasperation. "He could have shot you, idiot."

She glared at me before walking over to the canal and hoping down into it's waters, forging ahead towards our farm. Ari's behavior was becoming increasingly erratic since the bridge and in some ways I feared she might not be all there for the moment. Running for your life and taking a bite out of an asari could screw with your mind just a bit.

At least we were close to home. Once we got to our parent's she would be out of my hands and they could deal with her. With luck we could pile into mom's sky car and head towards the mountains and foothills to hide until the UNSC showed up.

We walked for another ten minutes or so before reaching the edges of our cornfields. We pulled ourselves out of the canal and crept through the tall stalks on our way to the orchards behind the house. The leaves seemed to crack and rattle with every touch, putting me on edge as it sounded loud and obvious to my ears.

Nearing the orchards we heard the harsh tones of batarians speaking in their native tongue. My heart began racing as a blossoming fear spread through my chest. Thankfully I had finally deactivated my translation software.

Please don't let them be dead. Please don't let them be dead.

I got on all fours to crawl the final few meters and peer through the thinning stalks that only partially obscured my view now.

Further down the rows of trees I could see a pair of batarians looking for something... or someone.

I pulled back as I wracked my mind for the best way to help us and whoever might be hiding. Maybe I could offer myself as bait? Lead them on a wild goose chase through the property while Ari got to our parents and ran?

No, that was stupid. Our parents might have already run and that would leave Ari alone looking for them while I ran around for nothing. Or maybe they had our parents already and were looking for us? They probably saw holos and evidence of kids living here and figured we had run?

Maybe I could double back and get Sprague and his... friends? Companions? Whatever. Get them to help? They had guns and seemed to know what they were doing with them. At least better than I did with this pistol.

But then if they had our parents they might execute them or have taken off by the time we could convince Sprague to help and come back.

Staring at the dirt centimeters from my face I felt frustration and exhaustion creep into me. I didn't know what to do. Looking back at Ari, with her scared and concerned face, I realized we had only come this far due to sheer luck and some insane stunts. We weren't soldiers. We were just farm kids. We only understood school and harvests.

Harvests.

That's it!

Quickly I perked up as I activated my omnitool and quickly set it to silent. Accessing the improved harvesting program I had installed nearly two years ago, I had complete control of drones we stored the in the garage between harvests. Selecting the cornfields and the orchards, I remotely triggered the drones to begin harvesting. One by one, the two dozen drones flew out of the garage and to their preprogrammed tasks.

The interlopers on our land flew into a panic, shooting several of the drones on instinct before realizing that someone had set the drones off. They ran towards the garage without a glance back, leaving the coast clear for me and Ari to move forward.

The drones and their noisy work made for the perfect diversion as we were able to reach the edge of the orchards in minutes despite still being cautious and deliberately slow in our movements. By now, we could see the back of the house and the garage adjacent to it on the right. In the gap between the two the family cars were still parked. If our parents were gone it was on foot.

Or so I thought. The batarians milling about the garage now numbered six, but near the house, a lone figure laid on the dirt and gravel that covered the ground. The thick, curly tangle of dark brown hair was hard to miss. It was the same hair both of my sisters had. A family trait they had inherited from my mother.

I blinked as I tried to process what I was seeing. Maybe she was hurt? Or unconscious? Maybe they had stunned her? Or drilled into her head like the people at the marketplace?

One of the batarians, bigger than the others and clearly in charge, barked something in their language before pointing towards mom. A lone batarian peeled off the group and walked up to her and scanned her with his omnitool. Not finding what he was looking for he toed her body with his boot, flipping her over onto her back before checking her left wrist. He knelt down and then yelled something back to the others, informing of what he found.

I'm not sure I processed that, because all I could see were my mother's hazel eyes. Vacant and dead. Staring off into the distance. The same eyes I had trouble looking at this morning. The same ones I couldn't tear my own eyes away from now.

Ari saw it too because she began silently sobbing besides me and saying 'mama' over and over again.

I felt shame and anguish as tears tracked down my face. I had been such an ass to her this morning. That was the last memory of me she had. That would be the last memory I had of her. All the anger and tension over her affair. Now she was dead. Killed by fucking four eyed Terminus trash. Just like the people on the bridge. The people across town. That woman I had tried to help.

Fucking pirates.

Fucking goddamn batarians.

The anguish gave way to rage as I stared at the group of batarians near the barn. I didn't think. I acted. Stupid. Rash. Vengeful. Hatred. My pistol was up and aiming at the crowd of them before I could even blink and firing wildly into their gathering.

They ducked and dived as their shields sparked with golden flashes from my erratic fire. All too soon, we were under return fire. Ari shrieked as we both scampered back deeper into the orchards.

Fuck. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid! I just put us both in danger. I let my anger get the best of me, even if it was justified, but now we might be joining our mother in death. I couldn't let that happen. Not to Ari. Not if I could help it.

Ari could double back to Sprague's while I would lead them on a wild chase in the other direction and hopefully she would make it.

"Run back to Sprague's, now." She looked at me confused, her eyes still tear stricken from seeing our mother. We both were still moving fairy fast through the trees and I hissed loudly. "I'm going to make them chase me to the other side of the farm. I'll meet up with you later."

Ari was terrified as she came to a stop. "No! You'll die too!"

I shook my head. I knew I stood no chance, but if I died and Ari got away then it was worth it. "I'll be fine. I'll try to get there soon."

The shouts of our pursuers could be heard getting closer. We'd been lucky enough as it is to have the drones masking much of the noise we made but the batarians would be upon us in seconds. "Go! Now Ari!"

She was conflicted for a second before lunging forward to hug me. She kissed me on the cheek and quickly pivoted on her heel, charging forward to the edge of the orchards and the beginning of the cornfields. I saw her leggings and boots disappear into the stalks and she was gone.

I waited for the batarians to see me, give them something to chase. It didn't take long before one spotted me and took a shot, hitting the bark of the tree I was hiding behind, shattering it and sending bits of bark, chips of wooden splinters and pulp everywhere. A few bits lodged into my left tricep as I reflexively lifted my arm to shield my face. Growling in pain I fired blindly around the tree to piss them off.

Now that I had their attention it would be a very good idea to run.

Making a mad dash as they repeatedly fired at me whenever they felt they had a clear shot was getting exhausting. I would zig and then zag. Loop through columns and rows of trees. But now I was nearing the edge of the property and the canal again. I could hop the canal and lead them on a chase through the Tolbert property on the other side, but that might leave me in the open for a few seconds too long.

Although a few more seconds on this side and I was done. Quickly, making my decision I braced my fatigued legs for one more effort as I put on a burst of speed in order to clear the canal.

As I broke the treeline at the edge of our farm a flash of something long and dark swung out from my left and into my chest. My feet still propelled me forward but my upper body was already falling backwards from the harsh blow. I couldn't breath as the blue sky with dark thunderclouds slowly rolled into view. My head and upper back slammed into the ground with enough force to cause me to black out for a second only to refocus on a batarian holding an long and odd looking rifle, the muzzle aimed at my face.

He barked something at me in batarian but I was having a hard time understanding between the inability to breath, the world spinning and everything sounding far away and muffled.

Yelling the same phrase again, he moved the muzzle to the left of my head and fired, a long narrow spike burying itself into the ground as dirt and pebbles peppered my face. It stung but the pain seemed so muted.

Pointing the muzzle at my face again I took the time to look at the face of the batarian who was threatening me. I couldn't tell them apart, but this one seemed familiar. It only took me a second to notice the burn mark on his neck and the swollen bruising between his four eyes were my handy work. Hey, it's my old buddy from the loading docks.

Chances are he wasn't thrilled to see me. But why hadn't he just killed me? I looked at the spike in the ground and recognized it as the same ones I had seen from the marketplace. A kick to the head blurred my vision and sent the world spinning again.

Almost as a conditioned reflex, I focused my mind on the spike next to me and willed my body to relax. With a lazy gesture from my left hand my world exploded in pain and a static electric shock. Purple clouded everything and a second spike rocketed home a meter to the right of my head.

Then all was quiet. No more yelling, no more shooting, no more kicks to the head.

After a moment, I opened my eyes to no muzzle in my face. Sitting up I looked behind me, having to brace myself as nausea and dizziness overwhelmed me. When the moment of discomfort passed, I was looking at a dead batarian. A spike lodged under his chin, buried far enough to reach his brain.

Looking first to my left and then my right I confirmed what I think I had done. I had biotically sent the first spike he fired into his head. He must have fired the second spike in his death spasm and somehow it hadn't wound up in my own head. Now I was positive my luck had a strange sense of humor.

Not sure where the rest of his friends were, I gathered his rifle and the the pistol I had acquired earlier. No sooner than I had begun to stumble towards the canal when another batarian emerged from the orchards, his rifle trained on me.

He took one glance at his fallen comrade and the rifle in my arms before snarling and opening fire. I did the only sensible thing I could do. I took a step backwards in a panic and fell into the canal.

Note to self for future reference, falling backwards is a sure way to aggravate any head inures you already have. The third major strike to my head of the day was followed by the disorienting and frightening feeling of falling into water without preparing a breath. I awkwardly surfaced and breathed in greedy gulps of breath. The batarian had run up to the edge, weapon trained but miraculously I had held my own rifle and it was already aimed perfectly at him. I let it rip.

The spike hammered into his shields, causing him to raise his weapon and arms in fear. I guess the size or nearly point blank range made it impossible for spike to be stopped completely as it dug into his collar, through the plating there and into the flesh beneath. There was a sickly sounding squelch and followed by a roar of pain. The batarian fell to his knees and grabbed the spike with both hands, straining to wrench it free.

I took the opportunity to climb out of the canal and kick away his rifle. Training my own rifle on the injured alien I wanted so badly to put another spike through his skull. He looked up at me with hate filled eyes as he still struggled with the spike lodged in his collar.

My hands trembled as I couldn't do it. I wanted to avenge my mother and everyone else but I didn't have it in me to shoot someone while they were looking at me. I yelled, tears starting to form as my throbbing head urged me to do nothing more than to lay down and sleep. "Don't look at me!"

I aggressively edged the rifle towards him in a threatening manner, but he didn't budge. Just continued to work on the spike and stare at me with rage, a small vicious smile forming on his lips.

He must have taken my fear as an invitation as he quickly aimed his right gauntlet at me. Before I could react, a trio of blades ejected from his gauntlet and shredded my ribcage, leaving nasty gashes across my right side. Falling backwards I screamed in pain, only to see his omnitool charging some manner of electrical attack.

On instinct I rolled to my right, over my wounded ribs, and evaded a sparking net of white that scorched the ground I once occupied.

Lifting the rifle in my arms, I fired once more, into his exposed flank. This time his cries tapered off into tears and whimpering, but still the rage was in his eyes. If anything, it was worse, only now clouded with pain.

We held a staring contest for several heartbeats before I stood and swung the rifle by it's barrel, the stock cracking against his head. I roared in rage hitting two more times until he was slumped forward and unconscious, propped up by the spikes in his collar and left flank. Figuring there was no way he would survive the blood loss, I picked up his rifle and tossed it into the canal. I turned and began a slow trot towards Sprague's farm.

After an embarrassing fence jump and what seemed like forever, I had made it to my destination. I activated the door mechanism but it was empty inside. No Ari, no Sprague, nothing.

I wandered towards his house, calling out periodically for anyone, but still nothing. No sky car, no terrestrial vehicle. Did they leave without me?

I felt scared and alone but resolved to wait. I told Ari to meet me at Sprague's shed and that's where I would wait.

Trudging the rest of the way I felt the day's exploits and my injuries catch up with me. Squeezing my right arm against the wounds on my ribs I was going to take a nap and hopefully she would show up.

* * *

**Nouveau Basel, Mindoir, Malawi System, Maroon Sea; May 19th 2570 [Standardized Terran Calendar], 2333 [Local Time, Terran Standard]**

I was awakened several hours later by my omnitool pinging an incoming message.

[\ Colonial Security [A] CAA Mindoir [to] Colonial Registry [A] CAA Mindoir \]

[\ Martial Law \]

[\ _The UNSC 6th Fleet Carrier Battle Group and members of the 15th Marine Frontier Division have secured Mindoir and the Malawi system. Martial law has been established for the time being and a curfew is in place except for those needing to return to their homes. If you are unable to reach a major settlement on your own or require emergency medical assistance please activate the tracer program attached with this message and UNSC forces will retrieve you._ \]

This sounded suspiciously like a trap. How long had I been out? And why wasn't Ari here? Standing up I winced as the scabbed and raw wounds in my ribs burned and stung.

I opened the door and the darkness of a night sky dotted with the thousands of twinkling stars of our galaxy greeting me. The smell of rain lingered in the air and muddy puddles filled the ground. Looking off towards the Gran Alps I could see streaks of lightning crackling in the clouds that still lingered there.

Figuring it was worth the risk to find out if this alert was real, I activated the trace before slipping my omnitool off. I placed it on the workbench in Sprague's shed and then grabbed my rifle and pistol, clumsily jumping into the canal and across to the Nash family farm. I moved about sixty meters or so and hid low in their muddy fields of flax.

Without an omnitool I had no clue how long they took, but my best estimate was fifteen minutes later a UNSC dropship arrived, searchlights flooding Sprague's field before homing in on the shed.

It set down fifty meters away from the shed, right in the middle of Sprague's field, kicking up debris that got into my eyes even at this distance. Going off the light given by the ion thrusters and searchlights, roughly a dozen soldiers moved from the dropship and slowly made their way to the shed, weapons raised.

"UNSC Marines, it's safe. You can come out." I could hear the voice over the dull roar of the Pelican's engines. Feeling this wasn't some elaborate ruse, I stood slowly, favoring my ribs and shouldered the rifle, careful not to look like a threat.

I made it a few steps before several laser sights were aimed on me "Drop the weapon!"

I chucked the rifle to the side and raised my hands in the air, wincing as my injuries flared up. A pair of marines leaped across the canal and tackled me to the ground, restraining my hands behind my back. I groaned as a knee was jammed into my back, rubbing my wounds into a muddy bed of snapped stems of flax. They searched me and found the pistol, tossing it to the side. Placing quickly fabricated plastic manacles on my wrists, they lifted me up from the ground and escorted me to the edge of the canal. One of the marines doubled back and recovered my rifle and pistol.

They pushed me into the canal and then another set of hands dragged me up, the cooler night air making my wet clothes feel freezing. Leading me into the troop bay of the dropship, the marines left me there under guard while they searched the area. Several minutes later they all boarded and we lifted off.

One of the marines sat across from me and removed his helmet. By the red lighting inside the troop bay I could see he was a young Latino man, with short hair and a face full of stubble. His honey colored eyes examined me under the red lighting of the cargo bay. "Got a name, son?"

I nodded, cleared my throat of what felt like a massive amount of phlegm and spoke "Luis Vincent Shepard."

He nodded and stood, taking out a knife. For a moment I was panicked as he grabbed my shoulder and pulled me forward, but when the knife dipped behind me, I felt the plastic restraints being popped off. He placed the knife back into it's scabbard on his left gauntlet, holding the plastic in one hand while he fished for something in a pouch on his belt. He produced my omnitool and asked "Leave this somewhere?"

I nodded, slightly embarrassed at my ruse. It had turned out to be amateurish but I couldn't have been sure.

He handed it to me and retook his seat across the bay. "You activated the trace and then hid in the adjacent field?"

Again I nodded, glancing out the corner of my eye at the rest of the marines in the bay. Most of them were nodding off but a few had taken interest and were listening intently.

The man shook his head before smiling "Good thinking, kid." He turned to one of the marines and yelled out something "Hegazi. Hegazi! Hegazi!"

The marine in question jumped in her seat, having dozed off, "Sir?"

Pointing to the rifle the man asked "Is that what I think it is?"

Hegazi held it up by the barrel "Sure is, LT. Kishock. Hegemony made."

Most of the marines still awake grumbled and muttered derogatory things about the rifle.

The man leaned forward, questions in his eyes "How did you wind up with a batarian harpoon gun?"

I swallowed as I remembered everything that occurred on the farm. Tears started to blur my vision as I blinked them away. "I killed the batarian that had it."

My reply had been soft and hoarse but apparently the rest heard it perfectly fine. Another marine whistled and addressed the man across from me. "Shit, setting traps and taking out armed pirates? We can barely get E2s to wash their ass."

The marines either chuckled or rolled their eyes. The man across from me just shook his head and reassured me "You did real good, Luis, was it?" I nodded. "I'm Lieutenant Zabaleta, UNSC Marines. We're going to take you to the tether. The pirates bugged out when we entered the system and we've secured Nouveau Basel and Konstantestar. From there you'll be taken aboard the Einstein and treated for whatever injuries you have. Got any family we need to contact?"

I closed my eyes and felt tears trickle out of the corners. I knew my mother was dead for sure, and chances were probably high my father and sister were too. I felt a stab of guilt as I hoped they were. The alternative, being taken slave, was much worse. I shrugged and answered "I don't know. My sister Lizzy is back on Earth."

He nodded solemnly and brought up his omnitool. Entering in a few commands, he scanned the results before asking me "Albert, Hannah, Elizabeth and Araceli?"

I pushed aside my anguish to clarify his question "Lizzy is at college on Earth. I saw my mom's body. I think Ari got away. I don't know about my dad."

He entered in some info and came up with smile "Your sister Araceli is already aboard the Einstein. Comms are still down for the colony but the Einstein can forward info to your sister Lizzy that you and your other sister are alive. We'll have another crew go and check out your residence in a few hours."

My stomach flipped at the news about Ari. Lieutenant Zabaleta stood up and shook my hand as the rest of the marines nodded in respect.

I waited until the dropship landed in the open space next to Marktplatz station before hopping out. Another marine near the elevator waved me over as harsh flood lights lit everything. Military vehicles and equipment were everywhere. The area had been sanitized and the bodies removed. Aside from the structural damage it was a total transformation from the horror scene earlier today.

Boarding the elevator, there was only two armed marines and myself. I sat down in the seat furthest in the corner and leaned against the wall of the carriage, my head on the cool glass as we rode the thirty minutes in silence. Mindoir was so peaceful blanketed in darkness. As we rose higher I was treated to Malawi casting a beautiful glow across the mountain tops and oceans. So deceptive to see such calm beauty across the planet knowing what happened here today.

The carriage docked with Konstantestar station and the vacuum doors opened. What lay beyond was a complete mess. If Nouveau Basel looked like nothing happened, Konstantestar was a disaster zone. Damage from firefights and explosives marred the structures and shops. A portion of the skylight ceiling was replaced with metal plates, having been shot out. The stench of smoke permeated the air, a clear sign that the air filtration and recycling system wasn't working properly. All around Marine, Air Force and Navy personnel scurried about doing random jobs. A guard near the doors greeted me. "Survivor? Follow me."

Without waiting for a reply, she marched towards the docks and I hurried to keep up. There were technicians everywhere fixing the station. We weaved through the chaos and made it to the terminals for the larger ships. My guide pointed towards a docking arm that obviously was connected to the gargantuan ship outside.

Arriving at the entrance for the docking arm I was stopped by armed guards who scanned me before waving over a medic who began scanning me yet again. He nodded to himself before asking "Low grade concussion. Lacerations to your ribs. Bruising to your abdomen. Can you walk?"

I wasn't about to fall over but I definitely wanted to sit down and possibly sleep. Nodding I answered "Yeah. Is it much farther?"

He shook his head before waving me on to follow him. "Not really, mostly elevators. When did you last eat?"

I thought back and was shocked to realize it was this morning. It seemed like a life time ago, sitting at the table with Mom and Ari. Something we'll never do again. I felt depression creeping in again as fingers snapped in front of my face, literally snapping me out of my funk. "You there? If you're feeling dizzy or disoriented tell me. Scans are showing you're relatively fine but you can never be sure with concussions."

"Sorry. I was just remembering when I ate. It was breakfast." He nodded and made a note on his omnitool.

We walked the rest of the way across the docking arm and into the ship where we were subjected to another set of guards scanning us. From there we walked across a hall and into an elevator with several other personnel from the ship.

Ten levels ascending and we exited, making a right down a hallway. The medic informed me of our destination "You're going to be placed into sick bay three with the other non emergencies. The notes from the field unit states that your sister was already aboard and that's the same bay she's been placed in."

I perked up, eager to be reunited with my Ari. We stopped at a pressurized door that opened at our presence. The smells of a medical facility stung my nose and made me think of Mom's office at the hospital. The murmurs, sobbing and wails of the occupants was maddening but my eyes frantically searched for Ari amongst the dozens of people crammed into the room.

As if magnetically drawn I found her just as our eyes met. She was seated against the far right wall on a cot that had been set up and nibbling on a bar of food. She smiled and threw her meal down on the cot as she rushed to me. I picked her up in a bear hug, ignoring the pain as she latched her arms around my neck. We both cried freely, although if asked I'd swear it was from the pain in my ribs.

The medic had graciously stood by while we were reunited. After a few moments he cleared his throat and we separated. I dried my eyes as he gave us both a contrite smile "Sorry, but your brother has to get checked and have any injuries treated. But as soon as he is done, you two can talk."

Ari pouted but nodded before asking "Want some food? Some guy keeps coming by with a cart carrying bars and tubes of paste."

I nodded enthusiastically, willing to eat anything at this point. Well, almost anything.

"No onions." I glared at Ari before the medic nudged me along and I complied.

I was seated inside of an office and the medic went off to find a doctor. Looking around there were awards, pictures and trinkets. Just like mom's office. There was even a mug on the desk labeled 'Galaxy's Greatest Mom'.

I felt tears burn in my eyes as I valiantly tried to hold them back. But it was no use. I was too tired to fight it and, thankfully, too tired to cry fully. I just sat there sobbing quietly.

The doctor walked in to that but seemed to pay it no mind. She was an Asian woman with a kind face and black hair pulled back in a messy bun. The uniform she wore was stained with blood and dirt but she carried herself with the utmost professionalism. "Good afternoon. I'm CMO Choi. I'm sure you want to get some food and rest so let's hurry up, shall we?"

My embarrassment at crying forgotten for the moment I looked at the doctor peculiarly. "Afternoon? It's nighttime."

The doctor froze in her setup, frowning at me. She activated her omnitool before sighing, all traces of professionalism gone as her shoulders sagged and her head drooped. She shook herself from her theatrics and smiled at me, punching in something on her omnitool. "Thank you. I completely forget to sync with local time. It's been nonstop work since we arrived."

I nodded, a bit skeptical at having a frazzled doctor performing anything on me, even applying medigel. I remembered how badly Mom could goof things up at home when she was tired or frustrated. Again thoughts of my mother brought on melancholy and tears.

The doctor, for her part, expertly ignored my sadness. She'd probably seen it all as a military doctor. And if she hadn't, today probably fixed that. She scanned, probed and prodded. She cleaned my ribs before applying medigel and bandages to cover them while the gel did it's work, accelerating the healing process. She took a blood sample and placed it in a machine before going back and reviewing her files. She looked up at me shrewdly "Hmm. I remember your sister now. Quite the mouth for such a pretty little girl. Are you aware that the both of you are biotics?"

I blanched, not sure what to say. This was the first doctor that wasn't my mother to scan me in years.

She sighed and pulled up a seat. "I know people don't have the highest opinion of biotics, but there is a reason you need to be registered. You're a threat to yourself and others until you learn how to control this." I said nothing but stared at the ground between us. Mom had done the right thing. They would have taken us to biotic boot camp. "The training academies aren't so bad. Besides, if these results are right, you nearly fried your own nervous system using your biotics today without an amp."

I looked up to see her looking at me with pursed lips and a slight glare. She shook her head and leaned back in her chair, going over my results "Toss in a concussion, no matter how weak, blood loss and I'm honestly surprised you're standing, let alone having normal brain function."

The machine pinged and she accessed the results from her omnitool. Glancing at the readout she queried me about my genetics "No past augmentations? Something added to combat illness or defects?"

I shook my head. Me and my sisters were natural. Mom was insistent that we wait until we were eighteen to even consider genetic augmentation or cybernetic implants. '_Let your body grow on it's own before you begin tampering with it_' she would say. "None that I know of, Ma'am."

She nodded before frowning. "Your sister had the same issue as you. A flag on your genetics. Must be hereditary then." She tapped her chin, talking aloud to herself "It's not an illegal mod or a treatable condition. Maybe biotics?"

She looked up at me and smiled "Give me a moment to access the database. I'm not familiar with this flag."

As she synced her omnitool to her terminal I wondered what it was that me and Ari had. Mom had never mentioned anything wrong with our genetics. "We're not in trouble, are we?"

She shook her head "Not unless either of you is some secret genetics genius." She smiled at me in a motherly way "One of you hiding a degree in the field?"

I shook my head but silently wondered about my grandfather. His line of work was in genetics. Could he have done something?

The doctor continued to scan until she found what she was looking for. Her smile melted into a confused frown and then an annoyed scowl. She rolled her eyes and sighed, punching in new commands into her omnitool. A slight buzzing could be heard, she must have called someone.

"_This is Commander Takahashi, 6th Fleet ONI detachment. How can I help you?_" The man on the other end seemed bored.

"This is Captain Choi, CMO of the UNSC Einstein. I have two civilians here, siblings, who are showing a peculiar flagging for genetics. The flag only states to contact a unit ONI rep." If the doctor could have sounded any more annoyed she would have been breathing fire. She probably disliked red tape and games just like Mom did. Said that it always got in the way of treating people and saving lives.

"_Understood. Please send the relevant files._" Now I wasn't sure if this real person or VI. He had to know that the person he was speaking to wasn't in the greatest of moods, but his blunt and to the point response was bordering on demanding. Even with the please thrown in there.

The doctor shook her head and punched in several commands. The man on the other end responded a few seconds later. "_Alright. Everything checks out. They're fine. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Captain. Have a nice day._"

And like that he hung up. The both of us seemed flabbergasted at his nonchalant and rude attitude. Have a nice day? Did he know what the hell happened here?

Shaking it off, the doctor shook her head and shrugged. She went to her desk and entered something on her terminal before dismissing me, saying that a nurse would find me in the bay with the relevant medication and treatments.

I walked back over to where Ari was seated. She had somehow convinced someone to place another cot down next to hers. On it was two bars of raspberry flavored ossilber nutrient meals and a bottle of water. Smiling at my sister I picked up the first bar and bottle before sitting down to enjoy my meal.

Ari scooted close and snuggled up next to me. Normally I would have balked at her doing so, especially while eating, but I enjoyed the physical reassurance of knowing she was there.

In no time at all, I had powered through the meal and polished off the bottle. A nurse came by and collected my trash after administering more medigel and a series of antibiotics plus medications for my concussion and nerve damage. He then left me with two additional bottles of water, a tube of some terrible tasting nutrient paste labeled biotic recovery supplement and orders to finish it all before sleeping.

Complying with the demand, I set the empty tube and bottles at the foot of my cot. By now Ari had fallen asleep, curled up at my side. I stretched her out on the cot and took off her boots. Following her example, I relieved myself of my own boots before stretching out on my cot.

I stared at the metallic gray plates of the ceiling, trying to block out the noise of the ward. What were we going to do? I guess calling our grandparents or Lizzy was the only real option, but what good would that do? It's not like we could go home. I felt a lump in my throat and tears fill my eyes as I joined the many who were sobbing for loved ones lost. Within minutes and despite the stress and emotions flying through my mind or the constant hustle and bustle of the ward, sleep and complete exhaustion claimed me.

* * *

**Codex Entry: Fabrication/FRM**

Fabrication is the modern manufacturing method that drives the galactic economy. Fabrication units draw in raw materials in a semi molten or finely processed state using magnetic and mass effect fields where they are molded into desired solid parts which are then assembled to create finished products.

Industrial fabrication units are required for large or more complex pieces but compact units are sold to the public and used in many businesses to create basic items. More common are mini fabrication units attached to omnitools which are capable of creating crude and small items. This allows for individuals to create their own products without ever leaving the comfort of their dwellings.

The economy functions on schematic and blueprint designs created and copyrighted by artists, engineers, corporations and entrepreneurs which can be purchased via the extranet or specially licensed shops. The prices for these designs vary but the common contract allows for one time fabrication before the design is deleted or rendered null forcing the user to purchase the design again if they desire to fabricate another. Other formats involve licensing which allows an approved vendor or business entity to purchase the design permanently and pay for each time the design is used. Most shops, governments, and military forces use this licensing format to have open contracts allowing them to fabricate items and replacement parts when needed. There are, however, free use designs available around the extranet for tools and items the Council deems commonplace in addition to the random designer who releases their work to the public free of charge.

The creators of these designs seek not only to protect their intellectual and proprietary rights but also to prevent technology from falling into the wrong hands. Fabrication Rights Media, or FRM, is the method by which designs are protected from illegal fabrication and tracked for uses using encryption, self sabotage and disabling methods.

Of course this is not without it's drawbacks. Fabrication allows remote colonies and starships to create what they need so long as they have credits to pay for them which is where the problems arise. Since the galactic communication network can have spotty service at the best of times, and down right abysmal in areas with little to no infrastructure, these remote colonies and starships can be out of contact with the galaxy for extended durations of time. When connections are reestablished the cumulative records for fabrication usage and other services are processed as one and deplete the credit accounts of the unfortunate. This then results in lengthy and costly lawsuits, litigation and ultimately the forced sale of assets to pay.

The allure of fabrication economics brings in the organized crime rings and smugglers of the Terminus. Breaking the FRM on a coveted piece of technology is the holy grail for hackers, who can then sell the cracked encryption to crime syndicates that have access to industrial fabrication units. From there they manufacture the pirated designs and sell the finished products for cheaper on the black market. Quality and availability are not always the best, but chances are that if enough credits exchange hands a person can get anything they want from illegal fabrication in the Terminus.

The most famous instance of unbreakable FRM comes from the Covenant, who employ an encryption, identification and countermeasure method so efficient that none have been able to reverse engineer their weaponry or equipment. Experts disagree on how these methods work as little is actually known about the Covenant outside of warfare. Some argue that it is standard military procedure to prevent anyone outside the Covenant from learning this technology, while others believe their religious fanaticism views those who do not share their beliefs as being unworthy. Whatever the case may be, functioning Covenant technology is impossible to come by unless it's being wielded by the Covenant.

* * *

**Codex Entry: Language/Translators**

Language is the method by which sapients communicate, with thousands of permutations spoken, written or signaled by individual species alone. Making it so a galactic society composed of several different species can effectively communicate is no small feat. Attempts at a galactic trade language have largely failed as unless species are forced to learn and use it they gravitate towards their own languages. The more practical solutions are bit of social engineering combined with translation VIs.

Since most species have evolved cultural standards to place a small handful of their languages as the primary tongues spoken this makes the job easier, although personal speech patterns, dialects, slang, accents, fonts, emotional inflections, patois and cultural heritage to use idioms makes the job of translation VIs difficult. This also does not account for species that use other mechanisms to communicate such as Batarian body posture, Jiralhanae pheromone scents, Hanar bio illumination and Elcor ultrasonic pitches.

The standard omnitool mounted VI translation systems will attempt to take into account as many possibilities as it can but accurate translations are not guaranteed. This can create awkward and sometimes disastrous situations between species as their interactions run afoul of miscommunication. This happens frequently with species that are newly discovered and not yet fully understood or those that insist on using obscure language subsets of their species. Often criminal elements will purposely use these less common methods of communication to evade translation in public and avoid law enforcement.

How translation is viewed is dependent upon the user. Some prefer the method of having their omnitool or other devices speak aloud although this can seem rude in some instances. Others prefer to have visual confirmation across HUDs in eyewear or helmets. The most popular method is to have it transmitted to an earpiece or ear implant for private audio translation. Updated language packs containing the primary languages of each species are generally available to the public free of charge but unofficial languages and dialects must be purchased, leading many to forgo them. It's generally unnecessary unless one does business with many different species and wishes to not be caught unaware of how to deal with a customer, client or business partner. Military forces often assign language packs to their troops in preparation for operations. Law enforcement officers, civil servants, convenience VIs and entertainment are equipped to offer a variety of language translation services to better assist the public but discrimination against specific language subsets persists.

The galactic culture does seem to be, over time, creating language standards. Since the founding of the Galactic Council, most if not all edicts and laws have come in the primary Asari or Salarian tongues. This has forced many within Council space to adapt and learn these tongues in order to understand what the galactic government and their various departments decree. Similar effects have been seen in the financial industry as the Volus and their banking institutions control the exchange rates for credits. The Turian terms and hand signals have seen increased popularity in military applications. Hegemony influence has created the unifying theme of the primary Batarian tongues being the language of choice for large population centers in the Terminus. Human languages are gaining in popularity because of the widespread dissemination of their entertainment culture, but that is also quickly joining the Turian languages in military usage as the humans begin to share more of the burden of Council security.

Of course limitations exist as some species at times seem to be beyond civil communication. Famously the Vorcha of Heshtok, with their short lifespans, incredible adaptability, and aggressive nature, are malleable in learning many languages quickly leading some to suspect if their genetic adaptability extends to understanding patterns as well. Unfortunately, Vorcha still have a difficult time expressing themselves and prefer to use their tried and true methods of using violence. Attempt to communicate with the Rachni during the Rachni wars were a wasted effort as the species could not be reasoned with long enough to get a clear understanding of their method of communication, although the general consensus was a combination of pheromones, verbal clicks, and some sort of hive mind telepathy.

This inability to communicate extends to the alien collective of the Covenant as well. The myriad species of the Covenant speak one unified tongue, with the Sangheili seemingly the most fluent and at ease. This leads many to theorize the language is the Sangheili primary tongue and it is still poorly understood outside of the Covenant. That is not to say that the other species do not exhibit communication patterns of their own, with the Yanme'e exhibiting a series of squeals and chattering, and the Lekgolo rumbling rhythmic ultrasonic pulses. Interestingly, the Unggoy exhibit an uncanny ability to mimic the languages of opponents although it is unclear if they understand what they are saying as they often repeat words or phrases in nonsensical ways. The most fascinating aspects of Covenant communication has been discovered during the conflict on the Human colony world of Harvest. Researchers were shocked to find that Jiralhanae spoke Sangheili fluently less than a galactic century after their annexation. This could mean the Covenant have an unseen method of educating all in language although many suspect that this change is forced upon the annexed races at threat of death or worse.

* * *

**Codex Entry: Terminus**

Our home galaxy is a large and intricate collection of over 400 billion stars. It would take a massive and costly effort spanning multiple generations to map it in full detail beyond basic star charts, although many efforts have been made. Combined with the technological limits of mass effect and slipstream travel this makes it equally difficult to expand beyond a few light years around relays.

This has lead to a major misconception about territory controlled and claimed by governmental bodies. The public perception is that their government has explored and continues to patrol all areas associated in claimed star clusters. The truth is that areas claimed are largely unexplored and uninhabited. This disconnect between what is believed and what is factual has lead to many political, and military, debacles throughout galactic history.

None continues to influence current events more than the area of the galaxy known as the Terminus. The confluence of unexplored star systems, limits of government influence and the reliable ability of sapients to find a way to make a credit has created this wild, and perilous, frontier that covers roughly 60% of the galaxy.

The Terminus is a patchwork of unaffiliated colonies, frontier settlements, private mining operations, warlord run space stations and hideaways for the criminal elements living in the shadows of threats. With no official organized government the balance of power shifts constantly based upon credits, leadership and who won the latest conflict. Power and the willingness to use it against your enemies and the weak is the way of life in the Terminus.

The formation of the Terminus dates back to the original Asari and Salarian Council. Exploration and expansion have always been one of the goals of the Council since it's inception, but realizing that goal was easier said than done. The history of the galaxy, and the Council races in particular, since that time has shown it's a very difficult goal to achieve.

The Rachni Wars proved that the haphazard and reckless opening of relays was a recipe for disaster. Acting more cautiously after the war the Council races managed to achieve a route to the Omega Nebula star cluster and establishing element zero mining operations at the Omega asteroid.

The Krogan world of Korlus was the site of the first recorded contact with the alien collective known as the Covenant in 872 CE. After the resounding loss the Council found it prudent to cease all exploration and expansion until the territory claimed by the Covenant could be identified and avoided.

This inability to expand, coupled with the loss of a viable garden world, forced the rapidly exploding Krogan populations to begin infighting along clan lines. The intraspecies warfare erupted into aggression against other races with the Krogan attempt to annex the Asari planet of Lusia in 1097 CE. The ensuing Krogan Rebellions would extend the moratorium on exploration and expansion until the war's official end in 1201 CE.

Under the military protection of the Turians, the Council once again attempted expansion by reopening operations on Omega and creating the Council Demilitarization Enforcement Mission to quarantine Krogan worlds. In 1389 CE the KigYar species was located in the Terminus and subsequently quarantined under the CDEM. By 1444 CE expansion was brought to a halt again with the second Covenant conflict, this time centered around the Turian controlled world of Gellix. Still unable to locate the territories of the Covenant, the Council and associate races began financially and politically withdrawing from support for Terminus expansion.

The discovery and introduction of the Batarian and Quarian species in 1543 CE and 1567 CE, respectively, spurned some growth in the the Terminus but the growing perception was that without much support from the government or business communities these efforts were doomed. Soon private militias began offering security services as the Council was reluctant to garrison military forces for fear of provoking the Covenant. This proved to be the turning point for the Terminus.

By 1694 CE, the Terminus was effectively in rebellion with many pointing towards the increasing influence of the Batarians being the primary driver. The Council sent military forces but ultimately withdrew after the 1739 CE rout on Omega station placing it in the hands of a powerful Krogan warlord.

A third Covenant conflict would arise shortly after in 1742 CE, this time centered around the annexing of the Kig Yar species. The Jiralhanae race and the Vorcha race would be discovered in the Terminus only to be quarantined by CDEM garrisons in 1853 CE and 1976 CE, respectively. The fourth Covenant conflict happened when they annexed the Jiralhanae race in 2492 CE.

In 2185 CE the Batarian Hegemony began a galaxy wide bid for dominance. The bid failed and the Hegemony was defeated, making no obvious gains but the balance of power in the galaxy would be forever changed. The Terminus areas would become the defacto domain of the Hegemony, extending it's economic and resource wealth while creating a thriving black market based upon goods and services not available in Council Space. Furthermore, mercenary groups were able to establish themselves as major players able to provide security and private military options to those who could pay.

The final destabilizing event would come in 2295 CE with the Geth War. Surrounded and isolated by hostile forces in the Terminus, the Quarian people augmented their military and domestic forces with mechs controlled by networked VIs beginning in 1903 CE. When the VIs rebelled the Council was unable, and some say unwilling, to send a military force to aid the Quarians for fear of exposing themselves to Covenant and Terminus hostilities. The ensuing genocide created a roaming fleet of resentful surviving Quarians and the threat of synthetic Geth who obliterate all attempts to enter former Quarian controlled space.

Humanity's introduction to the galaxy in 2479 CE has been the source of current friction, with humans ignoring the lessons of the past. The Batarian Hegemony, which shares borders with the Human Systems Alliance, has responded aggressively to human expansion. It is only a matter of time before these neighbors, both proud and stubborn, begin a war that might have consequences for the entire galaxy.

* * *

**Codex Entry: Piracy**

Smuggling, slavery, extortion and piracy are acts that have names in every language spoken in the galaxy. The acts seem to be commonplace no matter the species. So it was inevitable that as these species spread to the stars their bad habits would follow them.

The mass relays allow quick travel between star clusters spread out over distances that can range in the tens of thousands of light years. Conventional travel between star clusters is theoretically possible, but would be far too slow and require extensive infrastructure in the form of refueling stations, reliable discharge locations, caches capable of restocking consumables, and defense forces to protect it all. With ready access to mass relays, such expensive and complex operations are not only unnecessary but also make defending and policing star clusters somewhat predictable as the relays act as choke points.

This is where piracy fills in the gaps, literally. A thriving black market has risen to coincide with the separation of the Terminus from Council control. In order to facilitate the lucrative smuggling of controlled and banned items, the pirates and warlords of the Terminus, aided by the Batarian Hegemony, are constantly creating ad hoc pathways into Council controlled star clusters. These pathways typically originate in a nearby star cluster not under control of Council forces and weave a long and meandering path between star systems until they reach striking distance of the target clusters.

Since the number of stars systems making up a star cluster can reach in excess of a hundred it becomes near impossible for the 'owners' to defend all avenues of approach. Taking advantage of this, the pirate gangs, smuggling operations and slaver raids sneak in to conduct their business and then quickly leave before defense forces can pinpoint them or their entry point.

This creates a never ending task for defense forces to carefully search the stars near the edge of their territorial claim for any sign of regular traffic. Intelligence satellites or ambushes are set up frequently, not only to destroy but track the invaders back to the star systems that mark the entry points of the pathways. There the defense forces purge any infrastructure to deter the groups from using this pathway. But inevitably the operations are shifted to another nearby star system or set back up in their old spot once the defense forces return to their star cluster.

The Batarian Hegemony is without a doubt the largest beneficiary of piracy as they are the largest producer of illegal goods in the galaxy, largest purchaser of slaves and largest consumer of stolen technology or materials. Their economy drives the Terminus, funneling credits towards the infrastructure of these pirate pathways and until they are dealt with the piracy will continue.

Smuggling is by far the most common operation conducted by pirate forces. The Terminus and Hegemony operate outside of Council law so illegal fabrication, controlled elements, contraband, and individuals needing to get in or out of Council space are the lifeblood of smuggling. The several months it takes to complete most trips is well worth the time and effort for smuggling crews since they can make a minor fortune offloading their cargo. This creates a profession that attracts any group with access to a star ship and a willingness to take on the risk.

Actual piracy comes in a distant second as it requires greater skill and risk plus starships equipped for combat. Preying upon merchant freighters carrying cargo stopping to refuel or discharge, the pirates will threaten destruction unless compliance is met. The pirates quickly board and either steal the the ship outright or offload the cargo, killing the crew or marooning them in escape capsules. Since this type of operation requires extensive knowledge of the travel routes, cargo and habits of freighters it can be a painstaking profession. Successful pirates are patient and intelligent, willing to wait for the right prey in order to take a maximum bounty of stolen goods to return to Terminus or Hegemony space.

Extortion is the third most common type of piracy, occurring most frequently in the Terminus. Colonies, frontier settlements and mining operations are easy prey for someone with a starship mounted mass acceleration cannon and no scruples. Demanding credits, supplies and resources, these pirates are often careful to never actually harm the targets or destroy their infrastructure so that they may return again in the future. Mercenary groups make a living being hired to stop or prevent these extortions while upstart pirate groups will try to muscle in on an established extortion rings. Pirates in the Terminus often speak of going on 'Tribute Runs' where they extort their targets and then return to a major port like Omega or Tortuga to spend their riches.

The fourth and final flavor of piracy are slavers. By far the most complex and large operations, functioning around rogue mercenary groups who recruit and pay other pirates to aid them. They plan out their raids well in advance, scouting defenses and making preparations for the estimated number of slaves to be taken. Targeting small colonies or large mining operations, they begin their attacks by cutting off communications with the rest of the galaxy and then begin the onslaught with overwhelming force. They gain orbital superiority with small attack craft before descending to the surface with gunships and shuttles. They quickly overwhelm defenders and automated systems before rounding up as many civilians as quickly as possible. They are then tagged with tracking implants and boarded into waiting freighters in orbit. A typical slaver raid lasts less than twenty four hours and can get away with several thousand new slaves. From there they are sold on the black market according to their value, with the sex trade, illegal experimentation, bloodsports and manual labor being the biggest industries purchasing.


	4. Bad News Travels Fast Interlude

**Author's Note: This chapter and others like it will be used to flesh out gaps between time as well as give you more insight into things. The next chapter jumps over a year into the future to begin laying down the foundation of Shepard's family connections and his reasoning for joining the military.**

* * *

**ANN Newsbreak: Breaking News; Human Colony World Under Siege [May 19th, 2570 Standard Terran Calendar]**

The colony world of Mindoir has reportedly been attacked by Terminus pirates. Reports are still coming in but can nothing more can yet be confirmed. The Systems Alliance and UNSC are not giving any official statements as of this moment but are urging the public to remain calm and wait until all details are known. The outer colony of Mindoir is located in the Malawi system of the Maroon Sea star cluster, on the edges of Systems Alliance space. If you have relatives living on this colony you are being directed to contact your local CAA for updates. Those of you interested in sending aid should donate to the Intergalactic Red Star. The Systems Alliance and Citadel Council wish to make it absolutely clear that while xenos were undoubtedly involved in the incident on Mindoir any hate crimes perpetrated against xenos will not be tolerated.

Update: The tragedy on the outer colony world of Mindoir continues to unfold. Earlier reports of Terminus pirates perpetrating the attack can now be confirmed by UNSC forces of the 6th Naval Heavy Fleet. This represents the twelfth such engagement with pirate forces within Systems Alliance space in 2570 but this is by far the largest. There has not been an attack on a human colony of this magnitude since the Harvest Campaign. Early estimates place the death toll for Mindoir around nine hundred. More distressing are reports that this was primarily a slave acquisition raid which could have escaped with as many as six thousand colonists. The UNSC confirms that pirate vessels were still in system when elements of the 6th Naval Heavy Fleet's Carrier Group entered. The pirates sent proof that their large freighters held colonists and used them as shields to prevent UNSC forces from firing upon the retreating pirate group. They reached an inferior jump point and executed a slipstream jump out of the system with the colonists. The UNSC is currently performing anti piracy patrols in all Systems Alliance controlled star clusters as a precaution but experts believe that piracy groups will not be foolish enough to attack while the UNSC is on the highest alert. The Systems Alliance DCS has declined to issue a ban or warning for any interstellar travel but do urge private operations to employ greater security for freighters and mining operations.

* * *

**[\ Colonial Affairs [A] CAA Mindoir [to] Luis V Shepard [A] NBasel Mindoir \] [\ 2570-05-20 \]**

[\ Re: Albert Shepard; Hannah Gonzalez Shepard \]

[\ As next of kin for Albert Shepard and Hannah Gonzalez Shepard we regret to inform you of their deaths. UNSC forces recovered their bodies early this morning and CAA officials were able to match them to identitag, genetic and medical records on file. We believe this is related to the unfortunate attack perpetrated by Terminus pirates yesterday, May 19th. Please contact the Mindoir CAA within seven Terran days at this address to make arrangements to retrieve the bodies of your loved ones and prepare for funerary rites of your choice. Further inquiries regarding legal status of property, tax records and inheritance should also be forwarded to this same address. We offer our condolences to you and your family in this time of mourning. \]

* * *

**[Private Vidchat Transcript] [\ 2570-05-20 \]**

**Username: LizLuvsLaw [Elizabeth Magdalena Shepard; Identitag: Luna 179977EMS2550]**

**LizLuvsLaw [Login] [Online] [Massachusetts, UNAS, Earth, Sol, Orior Cluster]**

LizLuvsLaw: Luis?

LizLuvsLaw: Brother? Pick up!

LizLuvsLaw: [Unintelligible] Please, pick up [Unintelligible] ...Why is no one answering?!

LizLuvsLaw: Answer damn it!

**Username: TheMindoirColonyKid [Luis Vincent Shepard; Identitag: Mindoir 847261LVS2554]**

**TheMindoirColonyKid [Login] [Online] [Konstantestar Station, Mindoir, Malawi, Maroon Sea]**

TheMindoirColonyKid: I'm here.

LizLuvsLaw: Oh thank god! It's all over the news. Something happened on Mindoir but no one knows any details. What happened? Something about pirates? Where is everyone? How come Mom and Dad are not answering?

LizLuvsLaw: Luis?

TheMindoirColonykid: They're dead.

LizLuvsLaw: The pirates?

TheMindoirColonyKid: Mom and Dad.

LizLuvsLaw: What? [Unintelligible] ...No. This isn't funny.

TheMindoirColonyKid: I'm not joking, Liz. They're dead. The CAA sent us confirmation this morning.

LizLuvsLaw: [Unintelligible]

TheMindoirColonyKid: Liz?

LizLuvsLaw: [Unintelligible] No. No. Please, no. [Unintelligible] Ari? Is she... please don't let her be.

TheMindoirColonyKid: She's fine. We're together. On Konstantestar. [Unintelligible] What are we supposed to do, Liz?

LizLuvsLaw: I... I'll contact Nana. Will you and Ari be fine?

TheMindoirColonyKid: [Unintelligible] I guess.

LizLuvsLaw: Are you hurt?

TheMindoirColonyKid: No. Nothing serious. [Unintelligible] They know we're biotics.

LizLuvsLaw: What? [Unintelligible] Damn it. Damn it! How did this happen?

TheMindoirColonyKid: When they gave us medical attention.

LizLuvsLaw: Who was the doctor? One of the ones mom worked with? Maybe Nana or Tata can talk to them?

TheMindoirColonyKid: They're not going to be able to bribe a UNSC officer, Lizzy.

LizLuvsLaw: [Unintelligible] Damn it, Luis!

TheMindoirColonyKid: It's not like I planned this!

LizLuvsLaw: [Unintelligible] I know. How did this happen? Everything on Mindoir?

TheMindoirColonyKid: They were slavers.

LizLuvsLaw: [Unintelligible] Oh god.

TheMindoirColonyKid: They took... a lot of people. [Unintelligible] Well, if they didn't kill them.

LizLuvsLaw: How... how many? Anyone we know? [Unintelligible] Did, uh, Lukas... is he?

TheMindoirColonyKid: I don't know.

LizLuvsLaw: I'm... I'll call Nana.

TheMindoirColonyKid: Okay

LizLuvsLaw: Tell Ari I... just stay safe. I love you.

TheMindoirColonyKid: Love you, too. We'll be here.

**LizLuvsLaw: [Offline]**

**TheMindoirColonyKid: [Offline]**

* * *

**[\ Vivian S Prieto [A] Sarg Bekenstein [to] Luis V Shepard [A] NBasel Mindoir \] [\ 2570-05-20 \]**

[\ Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal \]

[\ There are no words to convey how we all feel. Your mother was my baby girl and her loss is painful beyond words but I understand your pain and the pain of your sisters is far worse. To lose your parents, at such young ages and to such senseless violence is something that can never be explained or treated. Your grandfather and I will do everything in our power to help all three of you with anything you need. We are working to get custody of you and Araceli transferred to us immediately. Your uncle Kamal is on his way to retrieve the both of you and bring you back to Bekenstein. We'll work on handling your parent's affairs so don't worry yourself over that. I love you and will see you soon. Be strong for your little sister. She's going to need it.

My heart grieves with yours, Abuela Vivian /]

* * *

**Extranet Records [\ 2570-06-16 \]**

[Search Term] Why do bad things happen to good people?

[Search Term] Terminus

[Search Term] Terminus Pirates

[Search Term] Batarians

[Search Term] Batarian Hegemony

[Search Term] I hate Batarians

[Search Term] Mindoir

[Search Term] Depression

[Search Term] How to commit suicide

[Search Term] Bekenstein sucks

* * *

**[\ Colonial Registry [A] CAA Bekenstein [to] Luis V Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein; Luis V Shepard [A] NBasel Mindoir \] [\ 2570-07-22 \]**

[\Official Residency On Bekenstein \]

[\ This notification is to inform you of the activation of your permanent Bekenstein mail address and the deactivation of your permanent Mindoir mail address. The Mindoir address will be closed within twenty four Terran hours of receipt of this message. Our records show your permanent emigration from Mindoir to Bekenstein has been approved with legal guardianship under Hector Gonzalez and Vivian Prieto. Mordehai Polytechnic Preparatory Academy has accepted your registration for their upcoming academic year. If you have any questions or complaints please forward them to the Bekenstein CAA. \]

* * *

**[\ Biotic Registry [A] MTranS SysAl Arcturus [to] Luis V Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein \] [\ 2570-09-11 \]**

[\Urgent: Biotic Registration Material \]

[\ The Ministry of Transhuman Studies has registered your status as a biotic and notified the Bekenstein CAA and pertinent law enforcement agencies. We have also registered your scheduled implantation of an Aldrin Labs Solaris third generation bio amp suite. Waivers for mandatory attendance to a biotic training academy have been filed with the Ministry of Transhuman Studies and will be upheld pending verification of alternative training from an accredited tutor. You have six Terran weeks to file the appropriate forms for verification. We ask that you hold the highest level of regard for the safety of yourself and those around you. Biotics are an incredible gift but require even greater responsibility.

Ministry of Transhuman Studies, Biotics Research and Regulation Department \]

* * *

**Extranet Records [\ 2570-09-13 \]**

[Search Term] Biotics

[Search Term] Bio Amps

[Search Term] Do biotics hurt?

[Search Term] Do biotics hurt the user?

[Search Term] Implants that affect the nervous system

[Search Term] Implants that affect the Human nervous system

[Search Term] Why are sisters so annoying?

* * *

**[\ Kalika Malegos [A] Tayseri Citadel [to] Luis V Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein; Araceli L Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein \] [\ 2570-09-19 \]**

[\ Biotic Enrichment \]

[\ Greetings, human. I am your potential instructor in the art of biotic control. I do not tolerate foolishness. Biotic mastery requires patience and understanding of your body and mind or our efforts are wasted. I require that you and your sibling read the treatise on the subject by Matriarch T'Filo before our first day of instruction which will commence in five of your Terran days from my composing this missive. If I find you and your sibling competent and eager to learn then I will accept the request to teach you both.

Matron Kalika Malegos, Recipient of Athame's Chosen Award, Twenty Time Galactic Pankra Champion \]

* * *

**Extranet Records [\ 2570-09-20 \]**

[Purchase] Vidbook: Outer Power, Inner Calm by Matriarch T'Filo

[Search Term] Translation packages for ancient Asari Serrice dialects

[Purchase] Language Pack: Historical Thessian Dialects

[Search Term] Mnemonic

[Search Term] Biotics and Sex

[Purchase] Simulstim: Dirty Daughters of Demeter #42

* * *

**[\ Kamal F Javadi [A] ONI UNSC Citadel [to] Luis V Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein \] [\ 2570-10-14 \]**

[\ Further Inquiries \]

[\ The following message has been cleared as nonessential and stored in ONI databases

Nephew, I know we discussed this matter in detail during the trip from Mindoir to Bekenstein but I need you to review some holos and vids of several individuals to identify Sprague's accomplices and possibly some of the pirates themselves. I've enclosed the files in an attachment. Take your time and give it some thought. There is no rush.

Captain Kamal Javadi, UNSC Air Force, Office of Naval Intelligence \]

**[\ Luis V Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein [to] Kamal F Javadi [A] ONI UNSC Citadel \] [\ 2570-10-17 \]**

[\Re: Further Inquiries \]

[\ None of those pictures of humans matched the the people we saw. All I know is that she was Asian and named something like soo hah ee luh. The other man was Latino and named Ramirez. They all wore black armor with a beige and gold diamond over the left side of their chest. Sprague was trying to contact someone named Tim, I think.

But the Batarian I know. The fourth holo. Can't mistake it. He tried to kill me. I shot him with a Kishock twice and beat him with the rifle. He was one of the bastards that killed my parents. Are you positive they never found his body?

Sorry that I can't be much more help, tio. I hope the info about the batarian helps track him and the rest down before they hurt anyone else. \]

**[\ Kamal F Javadi [A] ONI UNSC Citadel [to] Luis V Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein \] [\ 2570-10-18 \]**

[\Re: Further Inquiries \]

[\ The following message has been cleared as nonessential and stored in ONI databases

You have nothing to be sorry for, nephew. You've been a bigger help than you know. If your identification of that Batarian is accurate then you managed to avoid a great threat. His name is Ka'hairal Balak and he's SIU. We do not know his status but only one batarian was found dead on your property. The UNSC and Council forces have been trying to pin a solid link between the Hegemony and Terminus Pirate forces and this might be it. We'll look into the details surrounding Sprague and his accomplices. Give my regards to your sisters and best of luck with your studies. I look forward seeing you again at the next family gathering.

Captain Kamal Javadi, UNSC Air Force, Office of Naval Intelligence \]

* * *

**Extranet Records [\ 2570-10-18 \]**

[Search Term] Ka'hairal Balak

[Search Term] SIU

[Search Term] Terminus Pirates

[Search Term] I really hate batarians

* * *

**[Private Vidchat Transcript] [\ 2571-03-22 \]**

**Username: TheMindoirColonyKid [Luis Vincent Shepard; Identitag: Mindoir 847261LVS2554]**

**TheMindoirColonyKid [Login] [Online] [Sargasso, Bekenstein, Boltzmann, Serpent Nebula]**

**Username: LizLuvsLaw [Elizabeth Magdalena Shepard; Identitag: Luna 179977EMS2550]**

**LizLuvsLaw [Login] [Online] [Quintana Roo, UNAS, Earth, Sol, Orior Cluster]**

LizLuvsLaw: So what's up?

LizLuvsLaw: Wait. Why have you not changed your chat name?

TheMindoirColonyKid: Hi to you too.

LizLuvsLaw: [Unintelligible] Sorry. Exams fried my brain.

TheMindoirColonyKid: I bet. So allow me to pose a hypothetical to you. If I were to say that somehow Abuela learned you lied about staying on campus over your break to catch up on studying would you believe me that Ari did it?

LizLuvsLaw: You're dead. Deader than dead.

TheMindoirColonyKid: I'll take that as a no. So by exams you really mean some Earth beach is frying your brains?

LizLuvsLaw: [Unintelligible] I hate you!

TheMindoirColonyKid: Sorry, but it was either you or me, and it wasn't going to be me.

LizLuvsLaw: You couldn't lie for me?

TheMindoirColonyKid: To her? Hell no. She can always tell.

LizLuvsLaw: How are we even related?

TheMindoirColonyKid: We're not. You were adopted, remember?

LizLuvsLaw: No, I took all the brains and good looks. You got what was left over.

TheMindoirColonyKid: So what does that make Ari?

LizLuvsLaw: She makes up for it by being exceedingly annoying.

TheMindoirColonyKid: True. She's raiding your closet for clothes again.

LizLuvsLaw: And no one stops her?

TheMindoirColonyKid: Abuela thinks she's trying to be like you.

LizLuvsLaw: Abuela is trying to find the positive side of Ari being a thief. Look, I have to go. Take care because I want you to be in perfect health when I kill you later on.

TheMindoirColonyKid: You too. Expect Abuela to be calling you soon to ask how your studies are going. Love you Liz.

**TheMindoirColonyKid: [Offline]**

LizLuvsLaw: Asshole.

**LizLuvsLaw: [Offline]**

* * *

**[\ Kalika Malegos [A] Tayseri Citadel [to] Luis V Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein; Araceli L Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein \] [\ 2571-04-03 \]**

[\ Sound of mind. Sound of body. One with the energy of the cosmos. \]

[\ As your formal education will be on hiatus we will use this free time in your schedule to incorporate a physical regimen to your training. I will instruct you on the exercises and routines during our next training session and you will then be expected to practice these routines between sessions. I know you will not disappoint me. Prepare yourselves. This will not be pleasant.

Matron Kalika Malegos, Recipient of Athame's Chosen Award, Twenty Time Galactic Pankra Champion \]

* * *

**[\ Recruitment [A] TFirma XGua Shanxi [to] Luis V Shepard \] [\ 2571-04-11 \]**

[\ Happy Birthday, fellow homo sapien! \]

[\ We at Terra Firma want to wish you a very happy seventeenth birthday and ask if you're interested in joining the party that fights for humanity. Our culture and way of life is constantly being bombarded with pressure by xenos and sympathizers to assimilate into the galactic community. We at Terra Firma believe that humanity should not have to give up that which makes us human in order to do business with other species. If you feel the same way then reply to this message so we can send you literature and vids on how to spot the deceptions of tolerance and acceptance as well as direct towards local chapters of Terra Firma on your colony or settlement. When you find you're not alone and amongst like minded people you'll understand the true might of a unified and proud human race.

Keep humanity for humans! \]

* * *

**[Private Vidchat Transcript] [\ 2571-08-30 \]**

**Username: BioticBaroness [Araceli Lindsay Shepard; Identitag: Mindoir 397930ALS2558]**

**BioticBaroness [Login] [Online] [Sargasso, Bekenstein, Boltzmann, Serpent Nebula]**

**Username: BekensteinsMonster [Luis Vincent Shepard; Identitag: Mindoir 847261LVS2554]**

**BekensteinsMonster [Login] [Online] [Sargasso, Bekenstein, Boltzmann, Serpent Nebula]**

BioticBaroness: Where are you?

BekensteinsMonster: In one of the conservatories. Why?

BioticBaroness: I'm on my way. If anyone asks I've been out there with you all day.

BekensteinsMonster: What? Why?

BioticBaroness: The less you know the less you can tell.

BekensteinsMonster: I'm not getting in trouble for you.

BioticBaroness: But I'm your favorite sister!

BekensteinsMonster: By default. Now what did you do?

BioticBaroness: I might have had an accident with my biotics.

BekensteinsMonster: You were practicing inside the house?!

BioticBaroness: Well technically I wasn't practicing. I was trying to see if I could affect the cleaning drone's flight path.

BekensteinsMonster: What did you do?!

BioticBaroness: I did nothing. The stupid drone is the one that lost control and flew into Tata's aquarium.

BekensteinsMonster: Nope. Nuh Uh. Not going through that again. He yelled at me for like two hours straight about responsibility and respecting others after I accidentally killed his Heshtok Lionfish.

BioticBaroness: Please! I'm trying to go to Tasha's birthday party this weekend. I can't be grounded.

BekensteinsMonster: Well first of all I could care less if you attend Natasha's birthday party or not. And secondly, I thought you and Natasha weren't talking to each other anymore?

BioticBaroness: I don't need to talk to her. I just have to bring a gift and smile so I can talk to her brother Sergei.

BekensteinsMonster: Still not seeing why I should care.

BioticBaroness: This is why you don't get invited anywhere.

BekensteinsMonster: To the parties of all the spoiled brats in Sargasso? Still not caring.

BioticBaroness: [Unintelligible] You're really going to make me bribe my own brother?

BekensteinsMonster: What are you offering?

BioticBaroness: I can talk to Norina Sapir and see if she'll go on a date with you?

BekensteinsMonster: Which one is that?

BioticBaroness: Cadence Culpepper's cousin? The redhead.

BekensteinsMonster: Nope. I've talked to her before and that's why I made an effort to forget who she was.

BioticBaroness: So you're willing to go your entire time on Bekenstein without ever getting a date?

BekensteinsMonster: My choices are limited. Do I go for the stuck up princess, the stuck up heiress, or the stuck up socialite?

BioticBaroness: Whatever. I'll funnel some of the credits I get for allowance to you. Now which conservatory so we can get our stories straight?

BekensteinsMonster: The jungle one.

BioticBaroness: On my way.

**BioticBaroness [Offline]**

**BekensteinsMonster: [Offline]**

* * *

**[\ Admin [A] MPPA Bekenstein [to] Luis V Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein \] [\ 2571-09-08 \]**

[\ Mordehai Polytechnic Preparatory Academy Senior Class \]

[\ Welcome to your final year at Mordehai Academy, class of 2572! We have a full schedule of fun and exciting activities to help make your final year here memorable before you head out into the galaxy to show everyone what Bekenstein is made of!

Want to attend higher education on Earth, Thessia, or Sur'Kesh? Be sure to attending our monthly classes on acing the college application process so you can understand the steps necessary to get into the university of your choice.

Sign up for the Mordehai athletic teams by selecting the sports link below and be sure to include your latest medical and genetic data for the eligibility screening. Since last year's unfortunate incident involving several members of the Mordehai track and field team testing positive for illegal genetic augmentation the student athletes of all programs will be screened regularly this academic year.

Social and academic clubs will be holding enrollment the first week of class but you can get a head start on browsing by selecting the sponsored extracurricular link below. The first social event will be the Annual Sargasso Ball held in La Garza at the Botanical Gardens. Students receive a discount for tickets and are encouraged to attend and socialize with members of the community.

Here's to your continued enrichment and success at Mordehai Academy! /]


	5. Family Is Important

**AN: Standard disclaimer. This fic is massively AU and will combine elements from Halo and Mass Effect into one continuity. No separate galaxies. No parallel universe travelers. I have tweaked aspects to fit them together and taken plenty of creative license.**

**I want to apologize for the lengthy delay. I had a number of plot lines that I needed to hammer out details on so I could begin inserting them into this and the following chapters. Some of you might notice symbolism and hints.**

**Also as a final note, the Codex Entries at the end of each chapter are meant to inform you, the reader, on details pertaining to the galaxy I have created. It is meant to give you insight on how I have changed or added things, but more importantly, these entries are written from the perspective of the Council and allied governments. They are part of a galactic knowledge database that technically anyone could access. Provided as a public service, they serve to inform and educate, but it should be made abundantly clear that the information within is highly edited by the Council, their various ministries, and allied governments. Expect topics to be slanted towards protecting state secrets and incomplete as some information is not known or inaccurate as of the date. When new information comes to light during the course of the fic, some entries will be repeated with updated information.**

**This is my way of keeping you readers in the dark about some of the twists and turns I am taking with melding this galaxy together. I apologize beforehand if I do not answer questions about the Covenant, Reapers, Flood, Protheans, or Forerunners. To do so would give away my plot.**

* * *

**Sargasso, Bekenstein, Boltzmann System, Serpent Nebula; September 28th, 2571 [Standardized Terran Calendar], 1958 [Local Time, Terran Standard]**

My lungs were close to bursting as I ran through the trees and fields of corn on our property. I had no clue what I was running from but I knew I couldn't stop. I came to a clearing and entered the marketplace from Nouveau Basel. Overturned stalls and smashed produce littered the area but my mother sat serenely on a bench in the distance. She stared at me with sad eyes and a watery smile. "You shouldn't be here, mijo."

I awoke with a jolt as a hand touched my shoulder. It was nearly pitch dark outside, or, rather inside. The sweet smells of flowering plants and ripe fruits tinged the air as small glowing microdrones fluttered about like the insects they were designed to emulate.

In the low light I could barely make out the silhouette of my grandmother, my Abuela, standing to my right, smiling down at me patiently. "You're still having the nightmares, aren't you?"

Shrugging my response I gazed back into the dark foliage. This was one of the enclosed conservatories my grandparents kept on their property. This one represented the jungles along the Essequibo River where they honeymooned after their wedding over sixty years ago. Looking upward I gazed through the intricate lattice that held the glass ceiling aloft at Tyche, Bekenstein's moon.

Rubbing the back of my neck I naturally began fingering the edges of the implant at the base. It was round and smooth, with a square locked port, under which resided my bioamp. Curious that such a small thing could make a huge difference.

It had been a 'gift' for myself and Ari from our grandparents when we first came to live with them over a year ago. Since there was no way to hide the fact we were biotics, we had to register and be amped. My Abuela, Vivian, managed to pull some strings through contacts she had from her business dealings and had the both of us installed with the latest versions, L3's, instead of the surplus L2's that were still being pushed on the market despite the drawbacks associated with them. We also received a waiver, allowing us to be trained at home with a tutor as opposed to being sent to some academy.

Matron Malegos was a tough but fair asari. She had spent the majority of her life as an asari commandos but now resided on Bekenstein and taught others on how to use their biotics. If she held any resentment of having to arrive to travel to Sargasso to teach two human children every Saturday, she didn't show it. In fact, she had taken a real liking to Ari, often remarking she would make a wonderful commando were she an asari. The best I could ever hope for was a nod and mumbled 'acceptable'.

Glancing back at my grandmother I took in her features. It was easy to see where my mother, and my sisters, had received so much of their beauty from. Vivian Prieto was tall and statuesque, with youthful and attractive features, green eyes and auburn colored hair streaked with gray here and there, giving her a distinguished and scholarly appearance. My grandmother was a stunning woman pushing a century but barely looked a day past her prime.

It was also easy to see where my mother had formed her opinions on dressing, as I had yet to see my grandmother in anything less than a put together, fashionable ensemble. Even at breakfast, when I stumbled downstairs at the crack of dawn still in what I slept in, Abuela was in slacks and a dress shirt, freshly showered, drinking tea and reading a datapad at the small table in the kitchen.

She was lost in her own thoughts as she absentmindedly smiled at the surrounding artificial jungle. When she noticed my curious stare her smile became more pronounced and joyful. "Just remembering pleasant memories. Your grandfather and I had such a wonderful time here during our honeymoon that we couldn't help recreating a little slice of it here." Her smile turned more calculating as she continued "We certainly take every chance we can to come out here and relive what happened on that vacation in explicit detail."

I paled as I contemplated just how many times they had used the very bench I had slept on for their relived experiences. Recoiling from the thought I stood and began marching for the small dirt path that lead to the door for the conservatory, my Abuela casually on my heels as her musical laughter pursued me even quicker. "I thought that might get you moving."

Activating the controls, I grumbled as I walked along the manicured path that lead through the gardens and fields of grass to the back of the main building. The cool and salty night breeze coming off the ocean did nothing to quell my sour mood. If there was one down side, at least to an easily mortified teenager, of the increased vitality and health of the human race as we aged, it was the fact that your parents and grandparents could lead very active lives. Well there goes any peace and tranquility I might ever find in that place ever again.

* * *

**Sargasso, Bekenstein, Boltzmann System, Serpent Nebula; September 29th, 2571 [Standardized Terran Calendar], 0620 [Local Time, Terran Standard]**

"Damn it."

"Again."

I gritted my teeth to stave off the yell of frustration that wanted to burst forth from my lungs. Today's typical Sunday training session with the Matron was proving yet again to be a lesson in how to manage disappointment as my attempts at creating a biotic effect fizzled.

Glancing to my left and I saw the Matron, thin and lean with the rigid upright posture that embodied her centuries of martial prowess, standing behind my sister Ari. She observed my sister's movements critically, cataloging every flinch or twitch as she thrust her right palm out in a mnemonic gesture to summon a corona of dark purple energy. The small wooden targets in the distance was enveloped in a small bubble of similar energy for a moment, the air charged with a slight hum of static electricity. The target shuddered and rocked back, hit by an unseen hand within the indigo cocoon surrounding it.

It was a pretty pathetic attempt, but it was light years beyond what I could do at the moment. At least my sister was managing to summon a warp field. I'd yet to do more than create a blip of dark energy around myself. For all the success I had on Mindoir using my fledgling gifts to defend myself I had yet to replicate anything like that since I had the bioamp installed. That was beginning to grate on me. I felt like a fraud. Like I had wasted my grandparent's credits.

Taking another glance at Ari and seeing her sweaty face beaming with pride at her accomplishments made me feel that much more smaller. She didn't have a single problem adapting. Since our tutoring had began she had excelled and I would be lying to myself if I couldn't admit that made me feel jealous. Insecure. Depressed.

"Again."

Matron Malegos barked her order in that clipped way she pronounced human words around her thick Asari accent. I didn't need to look to know that the way it was directed at me was associated with the hairs on the back of my neck standing on edge.

Taking a breath to calm my mind and then clear it, I let my body operate on memory. The mnemonic motion of thrusting my right palm out brought on the tingle throughout my body. The sensation that felt like an amplified version of pins and needles only more... strange. A jolt of power rolled through my body and focused on my extended arm. I could feel the cool embrace of dark energy surround me and I opened my eyes. Sighting the target in my field of vision, I willed the dark energy to manifest around it. To envelop it and alternate in rapidly changing fields until the target was destroyed.

Except none of that happened. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

My mind lost it's focus as I wondered what had gone wrong. The dark energy around me receded, taking the sensation with it and leaving behind a feeling of being short of breath and light headed.

Wallowing in the negativity of the moment I lost myself to self pity and rage. I couldn't do this. It was fucking impossible.

Feeling particularly eager to have my pessimism reinforced I glanced yet again at my sister. Her progress was still awe, and jealousy, inspiring as she made her target sway slightly. I watched as it practically taunted me with the it's movements, bouncing from one leg to the other in an attempt to right itself or give into the power of my sister's warp and topple over.

The Matron walked swiftly to my side and came to a halt. I didn't look her way, unwilling to start the lecture I knew was soon to come.

"You lack focus. If one is to master the gift of the goddess than one must master their own mind."

I maintained my feigned indifference by glaring off into the distance. The morning was still cool enough to be comfortable, but it was rapidly warming up to be another scorcher on Bekenstein. Boltzmann was now a burning orb seemingly rising from the Teves Sea.

When I didn't reply she stood in front of me, hands behind her back in an almost casual manner that was ruined by the steel in her voice and the narrowing of her eyes. Not for the first time I was taken aback at how alien yet familiar asari facial expressions were. "The mind is the essence of your being. Your body the vessel and the tool. When you were born all you could master was drawing and expelling gas into your lungs while your heart beat steadily to pump your lifeblood." She turned her head to address Ari in her monologue, "All you have learned since then has come through imitation, self discovery, and tutelage."

She took several long and graceful steps towards the targets in the distance, her feet gliding across the bright green manicured lawn of my grandparent's estate. In one swift movement she pivoted and faced us both, her body in a crouch like a wild animal ready to pounce. She held this squatting position as she continued, "The words I speak in your tongue, must be translated from my thoughts, which I have used to convey myself in my native tongue for centuries. All this I have learned to do. From my first word as a child to being able to speak to you without a translation. The simple athletic movements I have just performed. All learned through years of practice and even more in experience. From the first step I took as a child to being able to perform this." She lowered herself gracefully from the squat into a seated asari meditative position.

This time she focused her eyes on me as she spoke her next words. "It was learned and perfected through effort and determination. What you see is the end result and think it easy. You did not see my journey nor see my struggles."

Rising effortlessly to her feet she stalked back in my direction, her lecture continuing as she gestured to my own legs "Did you not accomplish the daunting and difficult task of learning to stand and walk as a child? What do you think would have happened if your fears convinced you it was beyond your grasp to do so? That it was impossible? Do you think that the fear of injury, or failure, or embarrassment should hinder your progress?"

The frustration from earlier doubled down, this time gleefully pouncing on the shame and guilt it helped create. I looked down at my feet and shook my head, "No, Matron."

"Then this task is no different. It is daunting. It is difficult. Do not let doubt color your perception of future success. That you can not do it now is a given. It is why you wish to learn. To accomplish. Like all other things you have done, it will take time, effort and determination. It is a path that will be blazed by imitation, self discovery and tutelage. You need only walk it to begin your journey."

She stepped aside and gestured to the target in the distance, her voice assuming the commanding tone again. "Now extend the willpower within your mind. Exert the control and dominion of your body with that willpower. Tap into the unseen and draw forth dark energy with the gift of the goddess. Shape it. Mold it. Do not envision failure. Envision success."

Clearing my mind yet again, I drew on the faint memory of successfully using my biotics. What it felt like. Once I had it I thrust my right palm forward and felt the surge of dark energy surround me again. Wasting no time I took that feeling of pins and needles and mentally focused on using it to hit the target with everything I had.

The jolt left my body a split second after I opened my eyes to lock on with the target. The warp field surrounded it and lasted long enough to create an appreciable swaying.

It was nothing like Ari could do, but it was better than anything I had done yet.

Feeling proud I glanced at the Matron but her expression was one of boredom. "Better. Again."

The burgeoning smile on my face melted as I grumbled under my breath and blew out a breath to shake off the light headed feeling.

After another half hour of attempts my skill had yet to improve much but the rising sun had drastically warmed the air bringing this week's training session to a close. We helped the Matron gather her belongings and tiredly walked back towards the house.

The Matron looked about the finely manicured field dotted with large domes, the cliff edge dropping into the Teves Sea not far away. Her gaze was almost wistful, enjoying the beauty of the upper latitudes on Bekenstein.

"Thinking about going swimming, Matron?"

She turned her gaze on my sister to answer the slightly teasing question, a fond look in her eyes and a wry grin on her face. "Not quite, young one. Many centuries traveling the between the stars has sharpened my appreciation for the many worlds the goddess has given the galaxy where we might call home." Looking back at the sea she marveled, "Her work is immaculate. We only draw forth it's beauty and majesty with our efforts."

Ari wiped the sweat from her brow and frowned, a hand going to her stomach. "If I try to draw forth anything else today it's not going to be pretty."

On cue her stomach rumbled and gurgled.

I took a nervous step away from her, my own exhaustion taking a back seat to my fear she might pass gas. Eyeing her critically I frowned and shook my head, "You probably shouldn't have had that fourth serving last night."

The Matron raised an eyebrow but kept her composure, observing our interactions with her usual cool and detached manner. Although I did noticed she seemed to be tensed to move away from Ari should the worst come to pass.

My sister shrugged, neither agreeing or disagreeing with my conclusion, but placed both hands over her tender abdomen nonetheless.

As we neared the house we saw two people sitting on the veranda along the rear portion of the house. Probably enjoying the cooler conditions of morning before the heat of the day set in and forced us to remain indoors. Squinting to see who it was I suppressed a groan once I had my answer.

Nana Vivian stood to greet us, a trio of water containers at the ready. Bisabuela Elvira, her mother, my great grandmother, wasn't as courteous. "It's far too early for all this blue and purple."

Matron Malegos didn't flinch but her gazed locked with the elderly human woman, who wasn't the type to back down. After a tense moment of their staring contest the Matron turned to Abuela Vivian, accepting the offered container of water from her hostess, "Mistress Prieto. A pleasure, as always."

"Will you be staying for a quick meal? It's no problem. We're feeding a small herd here anyways. One more wouldn't matter." Abuela was using every trick in her repertoire to avoid the awkward situation brewing, breaking out the big guns of her charm, smile and hospitality. If I could be removed from the situation I might even find it amusing, but given the circumstances I was nervously watching the three interact and hope it didn't come to blows over my great grandmother's prejudices.

Looking between daughter and mother, the Matron shook her head slowly and took a large drink from her water container. "As tempting as the offer might be I must decline. I have business to attend to back in Milgrom and the sooner I leave the better."

"Don't be so blue about it. Just go." Bisabuela Elvira snidely remarked from her seat, not even bothering to look the Matron's way as she raised a teacup to her lips.

Abuela Vivian's shoulders sagged and I could swear she looked like she was repressing the urge to hold her head in her hands. It would seem that whatever powers that run the universe took pity on her by delivering a distraction in the form of Ari's stomach rumbling especially loud.

Ari blushed and grimaced in pain, quickly walking past everyone and into the house, blurting out over her shoulder, "Thanks for the training. I gotta go. Bye."

With the tension successfully broken the Matron placed her now empty container back on the small table and bid her own farewell, "My thanks for your kindness, Mistress Prieto. Until next week."

With that she left, walking through the house and towards the staircase that lead to the underground parking garage where her skycar awaited.

My Abuela turned to her mother and glared, her courteous tone long gone and replaced in a harsh whisper, "Could you be anymore rude, mother?"

Bisabuela Elvira shrugged and tossed her long silvery tresses over her shoulder, casually blowing the steam away from her tea. "Possibly. It's prudent to let a blue hussy know where she stands in your presence." She peered over the rim of her teacup at her daughter, "I'm more concerned you let her walk about your home freely. Haven't you learned anything?"

Abuela Vivian sighed and sat down, throwing her mother a disgruntled and exasperated sigh. "This is my home and she is welcome in it. Like all other guests." She placed a special emphasis on the word guest, giving Bisabuela Elvira a meaningful glance.

But if she noticed, much less cared, it didn't show. Bisabuela Elvira placed her teacup down and stared at her daughter, talking to her like she was a child. "That's how it starts. You show them respect and they walk right over you. Before you know it they're spreading their azure for anyone and everyone in your life."

I frowned at the comment azure, not quite sure what it meant but given the way she said it, and the way it was inferred, I could take a guess. Bisabuela harbored no small amount of hatred for the people of Thessia after her marriage to my great grandfather, Sebastian, had ended after she found out he had an Asari mistress on the side.

Noticing me still standing there she turned and continued her ranting, "And don't you let this woman fill your head with this nonsense. Biotics are not a gift. It's a curse. It makes you behave like them and that's nothing to be proud of."

Biting my tongue I glowered in silence as her bigotry spewed forth. Another unfortunate event in our family history was when my great aunt, Bisabuela's sister, Leonila, and her wife Kishori, were killed when human biotic extremists took a transport hostage during the Second Insurrection War. It happened decades before I, or either of my sisters, were born, but the malice, the animus, that she felt about biotics was a pretty stark reminder of why my mother had done her best to hide our condition from everyone.

Glancing towards my grandmother I could see her sympathetic expression. She'd been dealing with this woman for her entire life and knew that once she started it was best to just let her get it out of her system. Still she looked back at her mother and scowled, shaking her head. "We don't use vulgar language like that in my home, mother. And your own great grandchildren are biotics. That should be enough to show you they're not all monsters."

I cringed at her last comment. The implied insult that the majority of biotics were monsters by definition. I knew she meant nothing by it, but small phrases like that definitely were louder than anything to my ears. Knowing what people thought about me just because I was biotic was insightful. And chilling.

Bisabuela Elvira stood and looked at me earnestly, taking my hands before I could flinch away. "You poor babies. First you were cursed with this and then your parents being killed." She squeezed my hands gently and made me feel super uncomfortable between the topics she was broaching and her method of showing compassion. But if I thought she had done her worst then I was about to be sorely disappointed, "Promise me you will never bring one of those blue hussies home. Promise. Sleep with as many as you have to get it out of your system but please do not dishonor this family by bringing one home."

Shrinking back in fear and confusion I dumbly nodded. Looking at Abuela Vivian I saw she had finally given up all pretenses of being stoic in the face of her mother's tantrum. Her face was buried in the palms of her hands as she leaned into the table.

Seemingly satisfied with my answer she patted my left arm and returned to her seat.

Bewildered at the entire chain of events I followed my sister's strategy and mumbled a quick 'Bye' and excused myself. Once inside the house and breathing in the climate controlled cool air I shook my head and tried to replay just what the hell happened. Finding nothing logical other than the normally deranged and unstable behavior of my family, I began musing to myself just how amusing it might be to bring an asari girlfriend home. Just for the sheer entertainment value.

* * *

**Sargasso, Bekenstein, Boltzmann System, Serpent Nebula; September 29th, 2571 [Standardized Terran Calendar], 0907 [Local Time, Terran Standard]**

My fingers deftly moved as they secured the collar of my dress shirt. Reaching for my light coat, I shrugged it on and examined myself in the mirror. Technically, I guess I looked great. Everything perfect and in place. But throwing it all off was the cross nature of my features. I tried relaxing my face but of it's own accord it would revert back to scowling and glaring at my own reflection.

It was no secret I hated dressing up. Absolutely loathed it. Not only was it stuffy and foreign feeling, but I associated it with the worst of events. Social gatherings. In this particular case, a family gathering. Cousins, uncles, my aunt, close family friends, current significant others. It was one big act of theater we put on for ourselves. Abuela Vivian insisted on the family converging at the estate here on Bekenstein at least a handful of times a year. One of the most recent times had been for my parent's funerals.

Almost as far back as I could remember, we would make the trip from Mindoir to come stay here so we join in on the festivities. Get all dressed up and then engage in a passive aggressive contest of seeing who was doing the more important and impressive things with their lives. It was bad enough just listening in on it or having to endure conversations like this morning, but I was getting to the age where I was expected to join in and lay out my plans for galactic domination. I didn't even know what I was going to do next week, let alone what university I wanted to go to next year or what I was going to major in. And I knew that eventually that would lead to discussions about dating, which Ari would gleefully enjoy once Bisabuela began mentioning asari again. Put that all together and you had the recipe for a wonderful day. Wouldn't miss it for all the credits in the galaxy.

A knock on my door brought me out of my sullen thoughts. Sighing, I took one last glance at my own reflection and suppressing the urge to rip it all off before striding towards the door and activating the holo display. Seeing my older sister in the hallway, looking just as grumpy as I felt, I opened the door and greeted her with an expressionless and monotone "What?"

Lizzy looked less than amused but beautiful as always. Her dark hair was braided and piled up on top of her head in an elegant knot, showcasing a set of emerald earrings that our grandparents had given her for Christmas last year. Her hazel eyes were framed with a green shade of eyeshadow, which blended well with her naturally tan colored skin. Peach gloss covered her lips, which were currently puckered into a contemplative pout as she examined me. Around her neck was an old necklace made of pearls and seraphinite linked with small ornate platinum chains that had once belonged to my mother. She wore a form fitting long sleeved green dress of a more modern cut that accentuated the curves of her body and ended just above her knees. Currents of light shimmered throughout the fabric of the dress, moving in a hypnotic pattern that suggested leaves on a tree swaying in a gentle breeze. The ensemble ended with her long, toned legs capped with leather heeled sandals with the straps dyed green. If she was going for the look of some beautiful but vengeful goddess of vegetation, she nailed it.

"Do you normally answer your door that way?" She certainly wasting wasting time.

I felt my hackles rising at her presumptuous need to correct me on everything I did. "When it's you? Sure."

She ignored the jab, but narrowed her eyes and marched into my room. "And exactly how did you know it was me? If I find out you're talking to our grandparents or anyone else that way I will kick your ass myself."

I bit back any retort I had, blowing a ragged breath out through my nose. Composing myself, I turned to answer her question. "Abuelo knocks harder, Abuela knocks in rhythms, Ari doesn't bother to knock, and no one else would bother to come to my room. So it had to be you. Happy?"

Silent but nonetheless displeased, she glowered for a moment before sweeping her eyes over my outfit. Begrudgingly nodding her approval, she reached for my collar and tweaked it with a critical eye. Smoothing out the shoulders of my coat she sighed and shrugged, probably figuring my appearance was as good as it could get. "No. Finish getting dressed and come downstairs."

I rolled my eyes and followed her to my door but Lizzy paused in the doorway and voiced a question "And where is our dear little sister?"

I smirked to myself and shrugged. I had no clue, but if there was one thing I knew, it was that Ari hated these functions more than I did. Plus she was probably still in a foul mood over whatever was ailing her earlier.

Lizzy let loose a roar of frustration and stomped off in the general direction of the staircase, no doubt in search of Araceli. Holding my chuckles in until I had closed my door, I let them rip once I was alone. If there was something to look forward to, it was Ari's behavior and Lizzy's reactions. At least I might get some enjoyment out of today.

Sitting down on my bed, I activated my omnitool and began using my right index finger to scroll my way through mail and messages.

A mail from Terra Firma trying to get me to register for their party. Holos of humans going about their day on human worlds. I kept waiting for it to get to the point. 'Humanity first!' Seriously? That was it? Someone got paid to make this? These xenophobe lunatics had too much time on their hands. Delete.

A discount offer for a subscription to Fornax. A vid played of an female drell getting, uh, familiar with... was that... a hanar? But where were the tentacles... oh. Ewww. Gross. Nope. Nope. Delete.

Several brochures from human universities throughout Alliance Space. Most of them on Earth, a handful on Reach and Elysium. Hmm, I think that one is on Eden Prime. Still, all of them were for schools I hadn't signed up for. Thank you, Abuela. Delete.

An informational pamphlet for the Dalemitrians. We're all going to die, blah blah blah, save yourself and loved ones aboard the Citadel. Holos of warzones were mixed with ones I'm pretty sure were taken from action vids. Yep. That one is Salvation of Shanxi. These people had no scruples, and clearly no talent. Delete.

A combined request for donations to the Intergalactic Red Cross and Interplanetary Wildlife Fund. Give us your credits so we can help save the galaxy. Maybe, but only after we pay for the red sand and sex workers. Delete.

A UNSC enlistment pamphlet. Join the UNSC, travel to far away places, meet exotic people... and kill them. Actually, I'm paraphrasing. It's more like 'If it ain't human, we're gonna ask it to identify itself in a human language once. If it doesn't, then we shoot.' Delete.

A response from the Bekenstein government and CAA notifying me that my application for a sky vehicle was... denied?! For what? You've got to be kidding me. Unsafe driving practices? That was not my fault! The skycar was on autopilot! The damn VI should have known better! Ugh. Delete

Clearing my head I swiped to the next mail. Sign up sheets for sports programs this year. Hmmm. Basketball, run and jump around with a ball? Sure. Football, run around and kick a ball? Sure. Track and Field, run around for no reason? Nope. Save.

More extracurricular activities for the coming school year. Nothing on this list caught my attention, but I had until the end of October to join. I'd have to talk to my grandparents and Lizzy about which ones would look good on a college application. Save.

A notice and sign up sheet for an upcoming dance. I cringed. My grandmother always forced me to attend these things. Mom had insisted we have dance lessons since we were kids and my grandmother had carried on the practice when we came to live with her. She had been relaxed about forcing me to socialize for most of last year, giving me time to grieve, but she still wanted me to get to know the other kids at school. Problem was I had nothing in common with any of the students at the private academy I attended. I'm still not sure if my classmates knew my real name since they called me Mindy most of the time.

It was difficult transitioning to life here during the last school year. The priorities and lifestyle were just so out of sync with what I was used to back on Mindoir. And if my ability to get a date was pathetic back home, then I'm sure it was going to reach levels unheard of in the history of the human race here on Bekenstein. I didn't wear the right clothes, listen to the right music or know the right people. No one wanted to talk to the farm kid from the outer colonies let alone date him.

Sighing and pushing the negative thought aside, I scanned the contents of my correspondences further. Nothing worthwhile grabbed my attention, or more likely gave me something to waste time. Figuring it was a lost cause, I shut my omnitool off and steeled myself to head downstairs.

Dragging my feet I walked out of my room and down the hallway. This wing of the estate had stained wooden floors and light brown faux adobe walls to give it an authentic and ancient Earth feel. The walls were decorated with art from several centuries of human history that carried on the style. From tribal style sculptures to impressionist paintings to early space colonial landscapes. Most of the time it was like I was in a museum as opposed to a home, mixing the past with the modern.

To make my point even more clear, a cleaning drone wandered into the hallway doing it's job. It moved past me, it's eezo core sending a pleasant hum through my body. I shivered and shook it off before continuing along my path down the stone steps. The downstairs was designed in much the same way, revealing a well lit cavernous open room with large bay windows facing out into the Teves Sea. A variety of couches and tables decorated in warm earth tones were spread out across the ground floor. It was a comfortable room including a parlor grand piano with a wooden finish and elaborate carvings, a brick fireplace and a few bookcases with real books. A rare thing in this day in age.

I walked over to the nearest shelf and fingered the tomes. Recognizing many I realized they were all from our bookcase back home on Mindoir. Some of the few things we were able to recover from the house that wasn't destroyed in the raid or looted by opportunists. I selected an older tome with a weathered leather spine and gold flake script that had long since fallen off so as to be unintelligible but I was very familiar with the volume. Cracking it open and the yellowed pages with black ink typeset revealed the name. A copy of The Iliad and the Odyssey printed in 1972. I must have read this several times when I was bored back home, imaging what it must have been like to live in an ancient empire, or even to discover their legacy. I even swore to myself that I would go around the galaxy and visit all of ancient historical sites just to say I saw them. But holding this book now in my hands, it filled me with nostalgia and longing. I almost wished it could transport me into the past on Mindoir with my parents still alive. That Mom and Dad would be walking in the front door, arriving for the family gathering and ready to roll their eyes in exasperation at events.

Blinking to hold back tears, I snorted at my childish dreams and closed the book, putting it back in it's place on the shelf. Off to my left, my grandfather's voice broke the silence. "That was your mother's favorite. She insisted on taking it with her when she left for college and it followed her when she moved to that god forsaken planet."

I turned to look at him, taking in his commanding stature. Hector Gonzalez was never what you would call a big or strong man, but he carried himself with a level of self importance and entitlement that made up for it. He was slim and toned with slicked back salt and pepper hair. Ornately trimmed facial hair emphasized his defined and dusky features. A well tailored suit in a cream color with no tie and brown leather shoes finished the look. His demeanor and attitude told you he lived life by his own rules. A tumbler of some amber liquid sloshed and ice cubes rattled against the glass as he took a walk towards me, a proud fatherly smile on his face.

I looked down at the drink in his hands and the strong astringent smell caused my nose hairs to burn. I turned away and politely coughed into my right fist. My Abuelo laughed, slapping my on the shoulder as he took a sip of his liquid breakfast.

I raised an eyebrow and questioned his sanity. "Does Abuela Vivian know about you're drinking this early?"

He raised both eyebrows and grinned, giving me a clearly amused look. "Ah, I remember what it was like to be at your age. Zero understanding of relationships."

I was less than amused by his remark. I may not be the most observant person around, but even I knew that drinking this early wasn't a great idea. In fact, after watching what it did to my father, I wasn't a fan of drinking, period.

My grandfather took my silence and frown as an invitation to continue after taking another sip "After all these years, we've come to an understanding. She gets to run the show on days like this and I get to sit back and self medicate."

At my incredulous expression he chuckled and leaned in, whispering some great secret to me "You're not the only one that can't stand these things."

Okay. That was new. I had always figured he enjoyed the spectacle and games but I guess I was wrong.

My grandfather stepped away and took a seat on the nearest couch, a chesterfield made from varren leather. Leaning back into it's plush cushions and placing his right ankle atop his left knee the man continued his observations "Of course I love seeing my family and friends, barring my mother in law, but it's the damn people they bring with them. And to make it worse, all of you little ones are getting to the age where you'll start bringing people to my table." He took a drink and scoffed, "Like that worthless bastard your uncle married."

I tensed as I knew what was coming. My grandfather was no fan of my father, disapproving of the marriage to his daughter. He didn't disappoint. "And then your father. He took my baby, my Hannah, to the edge of the damn galaxy and let her die there. It's a miracle you and Araceli lived." He took another drink as a brooding look overcame his features, "Your sister Elizabeth, she's doing much to repair the damage. There's hope there, in her, and in you and Ari."

And there it was. The implied message, don't be a fuck up like your father and don't marry a fuck up like your mother did. Live up to the standards of this family. Be more like Lizzy.

I rolled my eyes and took a seat on another couch, a dull biege colored lawson made from synthetic material that mimicked natural organic fibers. In my year of living here I had more or less claimed this couch as my own. Everyone else claimed it was too harsh or unyielding but I found it to be soft and comfortable. I leaned back and stretched out, willing this day to move faster.

As my luck would have it, that wasn't meant to be since my Abuelo was of the mind to continue our one sided conversation. "Have you given any thoughts about college?"

I sighed and sat up, knowing my answer wasn't going to be well received, "Not really. I just never thought much about further education."

"Well you should." His dark brown eyes, so much like my own, held my gaze for a beat, challenging me to refute him. When I looked away, his tone softened, becoming more fatherly "You're good with electronics. Always playing with your omnitool or datapad. Even the terminal in your room. Maybe you could study that?"

I shrugged, not really believing that. It was more of a hobby than anything, not something that held my interest. I knew my strengths and I was no prodigy with electronics. I was more of a dreamer but I lacked any artistic skill. I was good at math and sciences, but not great. I just never thought I would be anything more than a farmer on Mindoir. I paused for a moment as my heart beat a little faster and my palms became sweaty. Could I voice that? It was the truth, and maybe I could get help or advice on what to do.

I glanced up at my grandfather to see him observing me shrewdly. Steeling my nerves I swallowed my fear and spoke my mind, "I... well I was thinking, maybe I could go back and restart the farm? Turn it into a real profitable business?" I swallowed again and the words just came pouring out of my mouth, "I kinda figured there were areas that I was always telling my parents that we could fix or change what we were growing or doing. We could really turn it into a powerhouse, and then possibly use that to buy more land on Mindoir and then start moving into the real estate and mining business there and..." I trailed off as I saw the disgusted look on his face.

"Absolutely. Not." His tone made it abundantly clear he wouldn't even entertain the notion. "If you want to setup the farm again, then by all means, but you can do so remotely, and pay others to take the risks and do the back breaking work." Shaking his head as if to clear away an unpleasant thought he continued "No. No more blood of mine will work in fields like common laborers. Your ancestors, my grandparents and their parents before them, worked farms so that we didn't have to. My parents worked menial jobs so that they could send me and my sister to universities. We are not taking a step back."

We sat in silence for a few more moments, the sloshing of his drink the only sound. I grabbed a nearby throw pillow, a black and white piece made with hexagonal shapes woven into it. I traced them with my finger, doing my best to calm my own temper. I was angry with myself for opening my big mouth. I shouldn't have said what I was thinking when I knew what the outcome would be.

Abuelo finished his drink and stood, giving me a look that meant business, "Find something you can go to college for. I don't care if it's writing poetry."

He sauntered out of the room, in the direction of his office, and personal bar located there, leaving me to stare out at the blue water of the Teves Sea and the glittering golden diamonds scattered across it's surface from reflecting the Boltzmann star.

* * *

**Sargasso, Bekenstein, Boltzmann System, Serpent Nebula; September 29th, 2571 [Standardized Terran Calendar], 1439 [Local Time]**

"This meal was lovely, Vivian." Uncle Kamal's enthusiasm for the meal of grilled salmon in a tomato basil sauce with cheese enchiladas was genuine. He was a dark and handsome man, born on Earth in Central Asia. His coal black hair cut short and face clean shaven, the man was the holo perfect portrayal of military discipline and appearance, even if he was out of uniform tonight in a modern brown suit. An officer in the UNSC's Office of Naval Intelligence, he was privy to the deepest and darkest secrets of the human race. There was always something about the man that conveyed importance and seriousness, no matter what he did.

Abuela Vivian was radiant in a teal colored sleeveless dress and golden jewelry with turquoise stones as she absorbed the praise. True, she had a small army of VI controlled cooking drones helping her, but still, pretty damn impressive to put out a meal like this for a large group. Actually, when I think about it, she made the meal despite the interference from her grandchildren. I was waiting to see who found the chocolate surprise in their enchilada that Ari left as a prank.

"It's good to eat real food for a change and not pizza or something frozen." My cousin Saman echoed his father's opinion. Saman was a mixture of his mother, my Tia Alicia, and his father, Kamal. Green eyes and fair skin but dark hair and the same handsome features of his father. Carrying on his father's professional demeanor, he was mature beyond his years, attending MIT studying economics and mathematics.

To the right of me my sister Lizzy made a humming sound affirming our cousin's remark. "I've eaten so many tubes of nutrient paste I'm surprised I don't have ossilbir growing out of my ears."

My Tia Alicia laughed and took a sip of her glass of wine. If my mother had been dark and mysterious, my aunt was lighter in many ways. A social butterfly with a peach complexion, auburn hair and green eyes like her mother, she was a Minister for the Systems Alliance Diplomatic Corps attached to humanity's ambassador office on the Citadel. Primarily spending her time at her office in the ambassador's block, she also alternated traveling the galaxy being a diplomat for the Systems Alliance and advising the Human Ambassador to the Citadel Council. Placing her glass back down she smiled and grilled my sister "Are you saying the young men of Harvard can't scrounge together some credits to take you out on dinner dates?"

Lizzy rolled her eyes, placing her fork down on her plate. "Hardly. Most of them think a dinner date is a guaranteed invitation to see me naked." She took a sip of her own glass of wine and continued, "I prefer to date older gentlemen from outside of school. At least they have some self control and can talk about something besides how many beers they downed before they blacked out last weekend."

Lifting her glass, Bisabuela Elvira glanced slyly at her great granddaughter and saluted her "Clever girl. They usually begin to understand the importance of conversation and foreplay by the time they're thirty."

There were groans and laughter around the table, punctuated by Tia Alicia chiming in "You're being far too generous, Abuela. It's been my experience that they're just good at faking it by the time they're thirty."

Her husband looked askance at her but grinning at the jab that obviously was aimed at him. Her son looked affronted and slightly confused but if he was expecting reassurance, he was sorely disappointed by his mother's response "Oh don't look at me like that. If you're like your father, I'm sure you'll do fine." She paused and waited a beat before dropping the other shoe, "By the time you're in your mid to late twenties."

"I don't want to hear about my parents and brother screwing. Can we please change the subject?" Across the table from me, my cousin Linda, one year younger than me, wore a nauseated look while pushing the food around on her plate. Like her older brother, she was a mixture of the best her parents had to offer. A dazzling beauty with long wavy black hair and amber colored eyes, she had all the hallmarks of being the most stunning member of the family, and also the most petulant.

Nathan, my Tio Julian's husband, leaned forward and agreed in his french tinged accent. "Well besides the dating scene at college, how are the two of you enjoying living on Earth? And the New England weather?" Nathan was a tall and muscular African man, with strong masculine features and a way of carrying himself that evoked aristocracy and nobility. Always well dressed and groomed, my Tia and Abuela would coo over his good looks and gentlemanly demeanor but my Abuelo made no bones about loathing him, much to my grandmother's annoyance. Unlike Bisabuela Elvira's loathing of biotics and asari, it wasn't bigotry that fueled my grandfather's annoyance, but rather the lifestyle that Nathan and my uncle lived. They operated their own public relations and management consulting firm, arranging meetings and parties behind the scenes for the biggest movers and shakers in the galaxy. They seemed to chase after credits and connections as opposed to any ideology or agenda. I suppose my grandfather viewed them as having no allegiances and thus no honor. Something he was sure was due to Nathan's influence on his son.

Saman shrugged, chewing a mouthful of food and politely swallowing before answering. "It's different to be around so many humans all the time after growing up on the Citadel. I think there's maybe a single asari in all of my classes. But the weather's not bad, no worse than Reach whenever we visited there."

Bisabuela snorted and shook her head, unable to refrain from taking the bait about living in mixed society. "It'll do you some good to be around your own kind."

The adults took that opportunity to shift the conversation, droning on and on and reminiscing about their college years. I looked over at Ari seated next to me only to see she had her head down and hands fiddling in her lap under the table. Leaning back a bit, I saw she had activated her omnitool under the table and was operating a program to hack into other omnitools. I nudged her with my elbow, frowning at her. It's not that I disapproved, like that would matter to her, but she was pushing the limits here. She was bound to be caught.

Ari glanced at me nervously, her cute face twisted into a countenance of paranoia that was commonplace given her impish nature. She was wearing a dark red summer dress with a matching headband that held back her curly dark brown locks. She was beginning to really sprout, becoming very tall and long limbed with all of the grace of a vorcha. She didn't have as many problems transitioning into Bekenstein life seeing as how her good looks and outgoing personality saw to it that she was readily received by her new classmates, nonetheless she still stuck out amongst the locals.

"Luis, what about you?" My Tio Julian's question caught me off guard. I looked his direction, clearly having no clue what they were talking about, and bashfully smiled and shrugged, hoping that was the correct response.

No such luck. Lizzy saw what I had been looking at and immediately pounced, "Araceli Lindsay Shepard! What are you doing with your omnitool?"

I cringed, partly because I knew I had been the reason she was busted and partly because my sister had perfected the tone and inflection our mother used to use when saying full names. Beside me, Ari quickly turned off her omnitool and placed her hands on the table, a charming smile on her face. "Nothing."

"Talking with boys?" Linda's question was earnest and excited. While she didn't seem to care about the immediate family's exploits, she had no problem digging into the social lives of everyone else. "I'd kill to be able to attend a school here on Bekenstein. Instead it's that boring academy on the Citadel."

Ari arched an eyebrow, clearly taken aback by the non sequitur. She took a moment to think through her options before slowly nodding. Luck would be on her side as our Aunt saved her from further explanation.

"There is nothing boring about the T'Vranas Preparatory Academy. It's an honor to be attending and taught by asari matrons, Linda." Tia Alicia's reprimand was quick and stern. In a flash my Aunt had been replaced by diplomat Gonzalez, showing exactly why she flourished in the profession. Linda had the good grace to look ashamed although that slowly soured into a sulk as she frowned off into the distance, looking anywhere but at her mother.

In the awkward silence that followed the quick family byplay I could literally see everyone thinking of subjects to bring up to move the conversation forward. My Tio Julian, the spitting image of his father, my grandfather, as a younger man, homed in on me yet again. "Well, the question still stands, what are you planning on doing for college?"

Wonderful. The subject I dreaded the most. I could feel the pressure building, the stares and expectant faces. I glanced to my right and saw Lizzy was watching me carefully, examining my every move. Looking beyond her towards the head of the table, my grandfather wore a similar look. I quirked a smile to my face to relieve the tension. "I'm not really sure. So many options."

It was a simple and honest answer, but I knew the crowd of professionals at the table would all have their own input on the matter. I didn't have to wait long.

"Well that makes sense. It's often best to keep your options open." Leave it to my grandmother to put a positive spin on my inability to make a decision.

Nathan frowned and asked in his trademark polite but condescending way "You're not sure what you want to do? Or you're not sure what you're good at?"

My grandfather immediately glared at him, but an even sterner glare from my grandmother helped him keep his tongue in check.

Resorting to my habit of rubbing the back of my neck when apprehensive, I once again fingered the bioamp implant there. I was suddenly hit with inspiration, or a suicidal impulse. "Well, I'm a biotic. Maybe I could do something with that?"

As soon as the words left my mouth I regretted them. Bisabuela Elvira's fork stopped mid motion to her mouth and she gave me a long and anguished look. Glancing around the rest of the table I got a mixture of bewildered or confused looks. But oddly Lizzy's expression was the worst, bordering on rage.

And boy she didn't hold back in chastising me, "Are you kidding? The only thing biotics are good for is causing destruction. That's why the military and terrorists employ them. Are you trying to say that you want to join the military?" She stared at me, her cheeks reddening and chest heaving as her anger and frustration was apparent.

Tio Kamal narrowed his eyes sharply at Lizzy's implied insult towards the UNSC but didn't say anything.

To my left Ari jumped into the conversation, offended by our sister's remarks about biotics. "That's not true! We can do search and rescue, since we can lift heavy debris. And Matron Malegos said that that law enforcement is another good place where biotics are needed. Or there's biotiball. We can become professional athletes playing that. Plus, nobody fully understands why we're different than other people in the galaxy. There is tons of stuff to research and learn." Her face was also reddening as she took a deep breath, before cattily tossing a verbal barb back at our sister, "You're just upset that you're a biotic and can't hide it forever."

Lizzy leaned forward to look past me and at Ari, a fierce scowl on her face. "You don't know the first thing about what it's like to be a biotic. If people at college knew I'd be shunned and ostracized. The two of you are coddled being taught by that asari. It's no big deal to them, they're all biotics, but it's not natural for humans. They assume you're a criminal or a terrorist unless you work for the military, in which case they know you're a murderer."

Bisabuela hummed her approval at Lizzy's rant, raising her wine glass in a salute.

I felt a surge of anger spike in me. I didn't like it when the comments were made this morning abut biotics. I didn't like it now when Lizzy talking about me that way. And I damn sure didn't like her talking about Ari that way. Before either of us could respond, our grandfather brought the argument to an end. "Enough. This is a conversation to be had later, when the three of you have calmed down."

Yet again an awkward silence descended on the table and yet again my Tio Julian was the one to break it. "Speaking of biotics, heads up to all of you. We just hosted a fundraiser for Terra Firma on Elysium and most of the rhetoric wass that they're going to roadblock the legislation that would give reparation payments to the L2 recipients. Maybe they'll revisit the topic of funding replacements systems after the election cycle."

"Good. Glad to know someone has their priorities straight." Bisabuela Elvira nodded her head at her grandson's news, no doubt pleased with the slant against biotics that the discussion was taking around the dinner table. If she could hear that the Systems Alliance was declaring war against the Asari Republics then it would probably make her day.

Abuela Vivian gave her mother an exasperated glance before reverting to her business mode as a corporate lawyer. "I figured as much. Susan Koenig had mentioned to a colleague of mine that Conatix is planning on fighting the Alliance court's decision, appealing to the Council courts if necessary. Makes sense when you consider the amount of L2 implants still on the market. If everyone has to destroy their stock, they're going to sue Conatix for reimbursement. And that's not even getting into lawsuits from those who've been implanted with the systems. The Alliance can't run fast enough away from that topic after they implanted so many people with those systems. Between that and the negative press after that murder in their academy, Conatix might have to fold if they can't get ahead of this situation."

"Fantastic. As if Sidon wasn't bad enough. The turian embassy still can't stop talking about that." Tia Alicia leaned back in her seat and sighed, idly twisted her wine glass on the table. "We're still trying to get the Council offices to lift the freezes on colonization for Therum and Feros but every time one of these incidents occurs, they use it to stall talks and buy time."

Nathan smiled and replied, "Well at least the jellyfishes stopped protesting and having demonstrations over the colonization of Prothean sites? That's progress."

Tia Alicia rolled her eyes and took a drink of her wine, "That's only because we gave the go ahead for them to jointly colonize Proteus. That bit of political footwork was a nightmare I never want to relive. First we had to handle the influx of petitions to build Enkindler shrines across the ocean floor then I swear our offices received death threats from every person on Terra Firma's rolls. Twice."

Tio Kamal chimed in, his blunt and precise manner of speaking a contrast to his wife's more emotive and physical style, "It's the insurrectionists I'm worried about. The separatist governments on Venezia, Anhur, Trident and Horizon are close to forming their own organized military forces which will give cover to formalized training of insurrectionists. If the situation with the L2's becomes worse then they'll use it to recruit biotics."

"And I take it the Alliance is holding the UNSC back from preemptively attacking these colonies?" Abuelo Hector leaned forward in interest, mind processing the angles and possible outcomes. While his profession was genetic research and patents, he was keenly aware of the happenings of the Systems Alliance and UNSC, his two biggest customers.

Kamal nodded at my grandfather's astute observations, "With the operations in Sigurd's Cradle, the Council is already paranoid about being stretched thin in the event of a Covenant attack. They've become squeamish and hesitant to provoke other factions in the Terminus. The last thing they want is a unified front when the move is made to retake Omega from the pirate filth there. Unfortunately, that means ignoring a growing threat in those colonies."

Saman joined in, questioning the logic of such a maneuver. "Does the Council really think Omega will be that easy to take? They lost it centuries ago. There must be a reason they've yet to try to reclaim it?"

Interestingly, my Tio Julian seemed to know the answer to that. "Well besides everyone being terrified of provoking the Covenant with the expansion of Council space, it's no secret that the Hegemony funds the warlord there, T'Loach or something."

"T'Loak. An old but dangerous asari. Former commando." Kamal corrected with a dark expression. It made me wonder if he had personal dealings with her to know just how dangerous.

Nodding, Julian continued, "Right, T'Loak. Like your father said, she's older, having been backed by the Hegemony in a coup for power in the late nineteen hundreds. Since then she's solidified her base and brought many of the factions that frequent Omega into her grasp. She's powerful. Too powerful. She's recently been jerking on the Hegemony's chain, increasing prices on eezo, which is the whole reason they backed her in the first place. Between her antics and age, the belief is the Hegemony is going to replace her sometime soon. But with Council fleets one short relay jump away protecting official colonies now, it's making them nervous. Any attempt to replace this warlord will leave a power vacuum, with all the Terminus factions fighting it out. Without a unified response, they'll be easy pickings for Council forces to defeat and take the station, and it's eezo supplies, for themselves."

I nodded to myself. That was a deceptively simple plan. A waiting game. Either the warlord would die in a few centuries or she would do something stupid. Either way the Hegemony would be forced to replace her to protect their primary source of eezo, resulting in a battle over Omega that they and the Terminus pirates were bound to lose. Still it was a major gamble that the increased colonization and military presence of Council forces wouldn't trigger a new war with the Covenant, who were impossible to predict.

"All this talk of war and military is boring and hardly appropriate for the dinner table." Abuela Vivian interjected after seeing the conversation had lost the interest of other family members.

My grandfather sat back and waved away his wife's concerns "Nonsense. This all has serious implications about our government and the galaxy as a whole. The prices of element zero, production materials, colonization, legislation, exploration. It's all tied in."

Lizzy chewed on her lip, clearly conflicted and fighting herself to say something. She took a sip of wine and cleared her throat, looking pained and nervous as she directed her question towards Tio Kamal "Tio, is there any truth to the claims that the pirates that attacked Hegemony space being backed by the Alliance? As revenge?"

He froze and considered the question, still obviously aware of her dig against the military earlier, but slowly nodded. "I don't have any direct knowledge of our participation in that raid but I wouldn't doubt it."

Lizzy stared at her plate and nodded, a grim but satisfied look on her face. In many ways, she took the death of our parents the hardest. She had an adult relationship with them, particularly close with our mother. She carried guilt that she wasn't there and able to help save them in some way, misguided as it was. And she definitely held batarians accountable for what had happened. We all did.

Returning to the present and the dinner conversation at hand, I could clearly sympathize with my sister in her black musings. While most of the people who lived in the Indris system had nothing to do with the raid on Mindoir, it did feel good, no matter how perverse the feeling, that batarians had died. Serves the four eyed bastards right.

"Will any of this affect our plans for attending fashion week and the Luminary Gala on Illium next year?" Linda's remark once again hit the non sequitur mark. I could almost appreciate the combination of perturbed and displeased expressions around table if she hadn't been callously ignoring the degree of significance the conversation had. Her aunt, my mother, had died. Murdered by Terminus pirates operating under Hegemony influence. We were discussing the possibility that the raids were payback for that attack. Was too much to ask that she fake having empathy for anyone besides herself?

"What? I was just- OW!" Linda was insulted that anyone took offense to her seemingly innocent question before a rush of static electricity washed over me. My cousin jumped back in her seat with a look of pain on her face. I blinked owlishly, positive that it wasn't me that had used biotics. A quick glance to my left confirmed that as Ari was covered in a corona of purple energy and her face had scowled into something fierce that I hadn't seen since we were running and fighting for our lives on Mindoir. Her right arm was extended, the hand facing forward with the palm. Her posture tensed and then relaxed, releasing her grip on a nonexistent object as the aura around her faded that could only mean one thing. She had created a warp field.

Jumping from her seat she screamed around tears as she picked up a half eaten enchilada from her plate and threw it at Linda with enough force to cause a loud splat as it connected with the other girl's fluorescent pink and purple dress, "My parents died because of shit like this! I don't give a fuck about your Luminary Gala you stuck up bitch!"

"Araceli!" Abuelo Hector's roar of anger nearly shook the room as everyone else was shocked into silence and inaction.

If she was frightened, she wasn't showing it as she screamed right back at him, "Shut up! I hate you! You don't care that my dad died. You think it was a good thing. I hate you!" She turned around and stormed out of the dining room.

My Tia Alicia and Tio Kamal rushed to their daughter, who was terrified into silent sobs. From what I could see she had bruising to her left leg, but nothing serious. Given our progress this morning, neither Ari or myself were much beyond being able to move and manipulate small objects. The worst she could have done was the equivalent of a hard slap.

Bisabuela Elvira turned and glared at Abuela Vivian, berating her for not listening to her advice, "You see? I warned you. Nothing good comes from biotics or asari."

In the commotion and din I felt my sister Lizzy grab me by my ear and lead me out of the room. Once we were clear of the dining room I jerked away and rubbed my sore ear. "Ow! Let go, damn it!"

"Shut up. This is all your fault." Lizzy was livid and looked close to swinging on me. I couldn't even fathom how she came to that conclusion. How the fuck did I cause this? When my annoyance was obvious Lizzy leaned in and poked me repeatedly in the chest. "Bringing up the conversation about biotics and the military was your fault. Why can't either of you be normal?"

I slapped away her hand as my temper was close to boiling over. Ari overreacted but blaming me or ignoring Linda's insensitive remark was just plain stupid. Putting her hands on me, twice, was pushing it. "First off, stop touching me. Secondly, that was your parents too that she ignored. You could try being more upset unless you're too busy brown nosing everyone else trying to make yourself seem more important than you are, Elizabeth Shepard."

I enunciated her name to remind her of who her family was and where she came from, but all I got for my troubles was a vicious slap to face. I steeled myself as my inner rage demon thrashed about within me, urging me to rock her head off of her shoulders with as strong of a punch as I could. A series of deep breaths brought about a lid to the tumultuous emotions bursting forth in my mind. Around tears from the stinging sensation of being slapped and the emotional responses it was bringing about, I said through clenched teeth, "Don't you ever put your hands on me again, bitch."

With that I slipped past, deliberately slamming my shoulder into her and not stopping to see if she was okay. All I heard from behind me was Lizzy letting out a shuddering sigh and choked sob.

* * *

**Sargasso, Bekenstein, Boltzmann System, Serpent Nebula; September 29th, 2571 [Standardized Terran Calendar], 1801 [Local Time, Terran Standard]**

It took me forever, but I found Ari hiding in one of the conservatories that simulated the Great Victoria Desert, complete with red sand and vegetation like Australian Spinifex, Eucalyptus and Mulga trees.

Sitting on a rock she was lifting small objects with her biotics before dropping them. Intellectually, I was impressed, and more than a bit jealous, with her control and strength. I definitely couldn't perform feats like this with my biotics.

Yet. I couldn't perform them yet. I had to keep reminding myself of Matron Malegos' lesson this morning.

I just sat down on a nearby rock and silently we worked on our biotics. In what seemed like no time at all, we were both sweaty and exhausted from the heat and our exertions. In a silent exchange of nods and pointing, we left the conservatory and walked towards the edge of the property and sat near the cliffs overlooking the Teves Sea.

Leaning back on my elbows with my legs stretched out in front of me I enjoyed the soft cool breeze coming off the body of water that was combating the oppressive heat in the air. I looked to my left and watched Ari hugging herself tightly, knees tight into her chest, arms wrapped around her legs, and chin resting atop her knees. The illuminated red strands in her hair pulsed in a slow rhythm as it billowed in the breeze while she stared off into the distance.

I'm not too sure how long we sat out there, but I do know that we had been gone long enough that Lizzy and Abuela Vivian came looking for us. They remained silent for a beat as neither of us greeted them. After a moment, Abuela Vivian sat down on the grass between the two of us and pulled us both into a hug. "I know that it feels like people don't care at times, but that's no excuse to lash out the way you did."

Ari jerked away and stood, tears in her eyes, "You all talk about my dad like he was some evil monster. He didn't do anything wrong and none of you care that he died."

I hung my head as I wished I had the courage to speak out the way Ari did. It just wasn't in me to be that vocal or disruptive. Being outspoken was a trait that Lizzy and Ari had in spades, as evidenced by Lizzy's rebuttal "No one said our father was a monster, but you can't ignore that their marriage was falling apart. That's what everyone remembers."

"That's enough Elizabeth." Abuela Vivian's reproach was soft and gentle. She gently rapped my shoulder and then motioned that we should get up. I stood and offered her a hand which she accepted with a smile. Dusting off her dress and legs, Abuela Vivian motioned for all of us to follow her, but instead of heading back towards the house, we headed for the walkway that lead a circuitous path around the property.

We followed her as she walked ahead, hands clasped behind her back as if she were out strolling her property without a care in the world. My sisters and I seemed to be awkwardly bunched up following in her wake, trying to avoid bumping into each other, afraid of having to speak.

As we neared the edge of the property our Abuela finally stopped, looking exhausted from the heat. We stood around not quite sure what to do or say. Ari seemed to be in a glowering funk that she was stuck stewing in, standing off to the side with her arms crossed. Lizzy mimicked her posture, looking off in another direction with an air of being above the entire debacle. All three of these women seemed to be content to let the tension rise as none of them spoke, making me feel increasingly anxious. Deciding to be brave and test the waters, I chose something light and easy, "So, is Linda okay?"

Lizzy scoffed to my right but my Abuela turned around and nodded at me with a smile, thankful for some reason, "She'll be fine. More scared and embarrassed than anything." Her smile melted as she gave Ari a less than pleased stare "Something we can all be thankful for."

Ari shrugged and rolled her eyes, "She deserved it."

On automated impulse, Lizzy's head whipped around to stare at her sister, but before she could voice her thoughts, our grandmother spoke in a strong voice "No, she didn't. You know she didn't."

Shoulders sagging and eyes downcast at the stern but gentile reprimand, Ari stared at the ground near her feet but said nothing. Encouraged that her words had some effect, Abuela Vivian continued, "You and your brother never asked for any of this to happen and your lives have been torn asunder. Turned upside down and nothing makes sense anymore. You're scared and hurt, still, and probably forever, but you're taking that out on the wrong people." She stepped forward and lifted Ari's chin with her right hand so she could look her in the eyes, "You and your brother have an incredible gift, one that I had no problem securing training for. Your grandfather, who you yelled at, had no problem paying for it. Your Tia Alicia and Tio Kamal, whose daughter, your cousin, that you attacked, had no problem securing the waivers to keep you from being sent to an academy."

Ari jerked away and looked at our grandmother defiantly, "I know. I'm sorry, but I hear what you all say about our parents when you think we're not listening."

Having been quiet for far longer than I gave her credit for, Lizzy burst forth with indignation "Will you listen to reason for once you child? Your grandmother just pointed out how much the people in this family have done for your ungrateful skinny ass. You just spit in their faces tonight and all you can whine about is what you think they're saying about our parents? Our father?"

I glared at Lizzy, upset with her for always taking the side of others in argument whenever her own family was involved. It was like she ignored reality or, even worse, agreed with what was said at times. And why wouldn't she? As I had been repeatedly told, be more like Lizzy.

"Think? You think I'm making this up?" Ari stood with arms akimbo as she stared our sister down with just as much anger, "I heard what Abuelo said to our brother today, Lizzy. Today!"

My head jerked in her direction as I felt mortified. She had heard my weak ramblings and our grandfather's refusal to listen? My face went red as my Abuela and Lizzy both looked at me curiously, wondering what had been said.

As was my trait, I rubbed the back of my neck, looking at the ground for inspiration. Looking up, I took a deep breath and chuckled, "Well, it was really silly, and I should have known he wasn't going to go for it. And-"

"You're rambling. What happened?" Abuela Vivian's eyes had narrowed, probably already knowing what had been said. She knew her husband better than anyone else and could predict what sort of things he might have implied.

Nodding, I swallowed back a lump of saliva and fear and answered her, "He asked what I planned to do about college and I might have said that I wanted to go back and restart the farm on Mindoir."

I cringed as my grandmother's eyes dimmed and she nodded resignedly. Beside me, Lizzy let out a disgusted grunt and stared into the heavens, shaking her head. Ari, however, looked thunderous. "That's not what happened. He called our father worthless and said he left mom to die on Mindoir! He pretty much pointed out that you and me should be more like Lizzy and less like our parents!"

"Araceli, calm yourself. I understand you're upset, but screaming and yelling isn't going to help the situation." Once again my grandmother was calming and motherly, but I could see the frustration clearly on her face. Problem was I didn't know who or what she was frustrated with. Somehow, I got the impression it was with my idea of going back to be a farmer.

Breaking the silence of the moment, Lizzy murmured "He's right."

I was stunned. I'd always thought my sister felt that way, but to hear her say it... there are no words. She thought our father was worthless. That our mother fucked up by marrying him.

Ari was so tense she was practically vibrating in place, and I absentmindedly began observing her out of the corner of my eye for any telltale sign she might use her biotics again.

Abuela Vivian seemed to have the same idea as she watched her as well, before addressing Lizzy, "Your grandfather is many things, but right about your mother and father is not one of them. He never approved of your mother following her heart and marrying your father or moving to Mindoir. But she did it for all the right reasons. She loved your father, and after one day with the two of them, I saw that he loved her just as much."

The tension in the air dissipated as we all listened attentively. We rarely ever heard of stories or details regarding our parents' relationship from someone besides them. Abuela smiled as she continued, "They may have been naïve about what it would mean to live on the outer colonies, but they wanted the chance to establish themselves away from everything. They wanted to earn their own way and create something without the charity or help of others." She looked at the three of us and shook her head, "You have no idea how much each of you embody so much of their character. Lizzy, you're so determined and strong, just like they were. Nothing could deter them from what they wanted."

She looked at me and continued, "You have the same casual and sweet temperament of your father combined with your mother's caring instincts. You do things for the right reasons, not ulterior motives."

I blushed and hung my head, although I noticed she didn't mention that I was determined or strong. I wondered what she would say about Ari, and more importantly, what that said about me?

"And Araceli. You're so much like your mother it's frightening. Not just in looks but in behavior. The youngest and the boldest. Impetuous and reckless." Abuela chuckled as she recalled the past, "And just like your mother, you have the habit of terrorizing your older siblings."

Lizzy interjected, upset at the discussion, and seemingly more than a little ashamed at her earlier remark. "But none of that matters, Nana. They're dead now, and even if they had lived, they were getting a divorce."

What?

This was news to me, and apparently Ari too. Curiously, I noticed it wasn't a shock to my grandmother, who simply nodded as if it was a known fact. How long had everyone known this? Why hadn't they told me or Ari?

Sensing the confusion and anger coming from the youngest two people in the conversation, our Abuela smiled sadly, "The day of the attack she was going to serve your father with the digital forms. By that evening, she planned to have the both of you with her on a transport here to Bekenstein."

Rage and resentment bubbled in my chest at the thought. She wasn't just cheating on him, but she was going to divorce him and then leave him there? What if the attack had happened a day later? We'd be hearing about how our father, who had been kicked while he was down, was then murdered by Terminus pirates. All for what? So that my mother could live out her happy ending with what ever guy it is she was fucking? I turned around and stalked off, pacing back and forth as I search for something to punch or kick. When nothing came to mind I eyed a patch of grass and focused, willing the fury in me to fuel my biotics. With a practiced motion I thrust my right palm out, the mnemonic motion of slamming the object of my desire with rapidly shifting mass effect fields. My whole body burst in a painful tingle, almost numbing, my vision was blurred by purple, and the patch of grass in front of me exploded. Chunks of dirt and clumps of grass flew in different directions, some smacking me in the face and arms.

Light headed and swaying in place but thoroughly satisfied, I turned around to see the amazement and even fear in the eyes of my sisters and grandmother. Ari about summed up the display, "Whoa."

Lizzy came to her senses and went into lecture mode without delay, "What is wrong with both of you? Is that how you two react to anything that upsets you? Blow it up? Or whatever that was?"

"Relax, Lizzy, it was just a warp field. We're not even that good at it. You guys said Linda was fine, right?" answering Lizzy with a roll of her eyes, Ari derided our sister's hysterics.

Both Lizzy and our grandmother looked at Ari with shock and more than a little horror. It was our grandmother that spoke up first, still not quite believing what she just heard, "You used that on Linda?"

"We haven't practiced or developed the strength to create a warp field that strong. It's mostly enough to hit and pull in different directions." Ari shrugged off their concern with her usual casual demeanor before eying me with renewed interest, "Although someone's been holding out. How long have you been able to hit that hard with a warp?"

I shrugged, not at all sure how to explain what I just did. My performance this morning was me trying my hardest. But that? I have no clue where that came from. I suppose Matron Malegos' message sunk in? I didn't even think about failing, I just did it.

Lizzy looked on flabbergasted and a bit sickened by the two of us, but it was our Abuela that voiced her concerns. "The both of you are to never again use your biotics to harm someone or strike out in anger, do I make myself clear?" At both of our nods, she continued, less than pleased with the knowledge of just what we were learning, "And I intend to have a conversation with your instructor. I wasn't aware that she is teaching children how to blow things up."

Ari cringed and I felt a shiver of fear run down my spine as I could imagine the reaction Matron Malegos would have when she learned that we both had been heedless in the usage of our gifts.

Again, the silence enveloped us, and now the setting sun was rapidly cooling down the warm early spring atmosphere of Bekenstein. The planet may be hotter than Mindoir, but we lived in the northern temperate zone, which had the annoying habit of becoming pretty damn cold at night. For a pair of kids that grew up on the equator of a tropical colony the cold held our fascination for all of five minutes before we preferred heat.

As the moments ticked by I gathered my courage yet again to ask about Mindoir and our family home. "So, do you think it was stupid of me to ask about restarting the farm?"

I wasn't too sure who I was asking in particular, but I wanted to know. I still had no clue what I wanted to do regarding college, and I was hoping to get some real advice.

Lizzy seemed to tense and wouldn't look at me, which I found strange given her need to berate me today, but my grandmother brought my attention to herself by voicing her thoughts "Well it certainly explains your reaction during the meal today." She cleared her throat before continuing, finding a way to be diplomatic as she lowered the hammer on me, "I think it would be a waste of potential for you to live out the rest of your life as a farmer. You're smart and charming, when you put your mind to it, and I don't think being a farmer is what you're meant to do. I think you choose it because it's familiar and comfortable." She hesitated before continuing, " And I'm not quite sure why you would want to return to the place your parents were killed and where you nearly died."

I nodded, understanding her assessment. It made sense, when you looked at it objectively, and I was feeling more than a bit ashamed at how she pointed out that I was essentially taking the 'easy' route in life. I looked at Ari, but the best answer she could give was a shrug and overwhelmed look.

Turning back to Lizzy, she still couldn't look at me. In fact, she almost appeared apprehensive of me. I know she and I had been at each other's throats today, more so than usual, but I she didn't think I would hurt her, did she? Maybe my impulsive act with biotics had scared her? I lowered my head to make eye contact with her and softly said her name, "Lizzy?"

She looked up, fearful and pained. Looking around at our grandmother and sister but seeing no help, she returned her gaze to my eyes and swallowed. Opening her mouth several times to speak, she couldn't voice what was on her mind.

Closing her eyes and blowing out a breath, Lizzy finally spoke in a calm and almost reciting manner. "I sold the farm to the Mindoir CAA. I've split the credits three ways and put your shares into trust funds for the two of you." Having released this secret burden on her soul, Lizzy opened her eyes and fearfully waited for a reaction.

To say I was livid was an understatement. I didn't even know where to begin. That she sold the farm, our home? That she did it without asking me or Ari our opinion? That she decided what was best not only with the property but then with the credits? Then again I shouldn't be surprised. This was typical Lizzy knows best at her finest.

I thought of so many different things to say. So many different things to do. But Ari beat me to the punch and put it perfectly. "You had no right to do that, but I doubt you care. This is just one more way to erase your past and forget you were from Mindoir. You can keep the credits." With that she turned around and marched off, back in the direction of the house.

I lingered longer, staring at my sister who seemed meek and afraid, so unlike her usual self. A glance at my grandmother gave me a further clue to the level of duplicity my sister had enacted. This was news to her, and she was pissed, to say the least. The way she stared at my sister let me know that the moment I left, she was going to rip into Lizzy like no other.

Deciding that I could do no better than Ari or my Abuela, I just glared at Lizzy one last time and shook my head before turning on my heel to jog and catch up with Ari. There was a lot we had to talk about.

* * *

**Codex Entry: Bekenstein**

The colony world of Bekenstein is one of the crown jewels of the human race and a display of their progress on the galactic stage.

It's colonization began with the negotiations following the Relay 314 Incident/First Contact War. As reparations for the attack on Shanxi the Systems Alliance was awarded the rights to nearby star clusters which would fuel the third wave of human colonization. During a fact finding mission to the Citadel a delegate for the Systems Alliance noted there was an uninhabited solar system with a marginally habitable planet within the Serpent Nebula. Representatives for the Council noted that while rich in potential, the system lay 67 light years from the Widow System and it's relay, thus making it undesirable for development. Human negotiators quickly requested and were awarded the rights to the system.

The Systems Alliance promptly commissioned an in depth analysis which revealed the primary planet in question required slight modification via terraforming but could be inhabitable for first phase colonization within twenty years. Further surveying found the system to have rich nodes of resources including several element zero deposits from meteor debris.

Satisfied with the prospects, the Systems Alliance awarded the project to the Weyland Group who put together a multiphase proposal designed to exploit the abundant resources and proximity to the heart of galactic civilization, the Citadel.

Infrastructure was quickly built stretching to the newly named Boltzmann System, helping to facilitate the resource extraction and terraforming project. Due to the distance, fuel costs heavily affected profit margins but the Weyland Group and Systems Alliance assured investors, corporate partners, and prospective colonists that this was anticipated.

The first open air surface colonies were founded in the extreme northern and southern latitudes in 2512. Those colonies would provide the industrial fabrication foundation for the Bekenstein economy. Using resources being harvested in system they would capitalize on the craze and fascination with the newest member of the Citadel Charter, Humans. From replicas of ancient Egyptian sarcophagi and Chinese terra cotta warriors to modern designs of household appliances and furniture, human culture was in demand and no other colony was as poised as Bekenstein to take advantage.

The influx of wealth fueled a boom in growth which coupled with an industrial fabrication base specializing in luxury goods created an attractive destination for those looking to make their fortunes. Soon the growing financial and cultural centers in the capital of Milgrom were joined by space docks in orbit run by Sinoviet Heavy Machinery, Nashan Stellar Dynamics and Reyes-McLees Shipyards crafting custom luxury ships for the wealthy clientele of Bekenstein and the Citadel.

Seeing an opportunity to expand beyond the niche of luxury goods and catering to the fledgling wealthy colonists, the Weyland group encouraged the government of Bekenstein to relax their laws and regulations. The result was nearly every major human corporation moving their headquarters to Milgrom to take advantage of lowered tax rates and bureaucracy, turning it into one of the most important cities in the Systems Alliance.

In the decades since Bekenstein has become a rising power in economic, political and cultural influence throughout not just human space, but all of Council Space. Milgrom, which has been the fastest growing city in Council Space for twenty five consecutive years, now boasts financial and corporate sectors that rival anything found on Irune, Thessia, Sur'Kesh, Palaven, or Earth.

Only Illium fares better and there in lies the key Bekenstein's current success. Bekenstein has molded itself as being a more reputable alternative to Illium, which has prided itself on being a more reputable Omega or Tortuga. Luring in corporations with the most business friendly taxation and regulations in Council Space, Bekenstein is becoming synonymous with being a place where the wealthy, powerful, ambitious and ruthless can live and do business legally.

With such an open and aggressive stance, it's no wonder Bekenstein has flourished since it's inception. The original colonists and miners who operated on razor thin profit margins less than a century ago had a saying that has proven true even after their colony has undergone radical and amazing changes.

"If you can make it on Bek, you got 'em by the neck."

* * *

**Codex Entry: Element Zero/Mass Effect/Slipstream**

Mastery of dark energy is the hallmark of an advanced space faring civilization. More than simply allowing for faster than light travel, the manipulation of dark energy fields is crucial to every facet of modern technology.

Sitting atop the traditional, or Euclidean, three physical and one temporal dimensions is a bundle of eleven known dimensions collectively known as the Slipstream, or informally as Slipspace. This layer of dark energy is spread across the universe in a generally uniform and constant manner, although minor disturbances similar to currents and eddies have been documented. These naturally occurring anomalies are still poorly understood but are thought to be attributed to the influence of the mass and gravitational fields of celestial bodies.

When massive stars undergo a supernova there is typically a gravitational collapse followed by a rebounding effect. This rapid gravitational fluctuation combined with the energy released during the supernova allows for the Slipstream to be disturbed and the boundaries between it's eleven dimensions and the Euclidean four to be blurred. All solid matter near the epicenter has a high probability of being transformed into a transitional element. Commonly referred to as Element Zero, this material exists in the standard Euclidean dimensions but retains a link to the Slipstream.

Direct application of a current of energy causes Element Zero to reactivate the bridge between the dimensions. This allows for dark energy to be extracted from the Slipstream where it can be used to manipulate the Euclidean dimensions. The application of a positive or negative electrical current creates dark energy fields that increase or decrease the the mass of all objects within the field, respectively. These fields can be manipulated in size and strength directly through power of the electrical current applied. This is known as the Mass Effect and it is the key to advances in the modern era of the galaxy.

Unfortunately Element Zero and the Mass Effect have their limitations and drawbacks. Element Zero is exceedingly rare, making the supply dwarfed by the demand across the galaxy. It is found primarily in debris surrounding degenerate stars like pulsars and neutron stars. The extraction of such concentrations requires extensive infrastructure costing large sums of credits to work around the intense radiation of a degenerate star. Remote mining at a safe distance from the star involves building and maintaining a telemetry network for telepresence to monitor and assist VI controlled mining robots and transport vessels. These networks, robots and vessels are subjected to such punishing conditions that their expected lifetime duration is greatly reduced thus drastically increasing the already absurdly high costs of Element Zero.

Occasionally deposits are found when Element Zero laden debris is ejected from it's parent system by supernova and later captured by another system as an asteroid or impacts another celestial body leaving a crater. Thessia represents such a planet with Element Zero impact craters. These deposits are relatively easy to extract but are few and far between, with the size of the nodes being very small. As a percentage of the supply of Element Zero sold on all galactic market less than ten percent comes from such deposits, with Omega asteroid representing nearly seventy five percent of that total.

Element zero is documented to have varying levels of toxicity to different species, although exposure to the public is limited to refined dust form and in such small doses as to be negligible. In higher concentrations it can either facilitate the phenomenon known as biotics or create a rapidly expanding and unstable cancer with a high mortality rate. For this reason alone only qualified personnel should ever perform maintenance on a device or vehicle containing Element Zero.

The limit of electrical current that can be passed through Element Zero also presents an obstacle, as the size and power of a Mass Effect field is dependent upon the strength of the current. The larger the concentration of Element Zero in the device, the more electrical current which can be applied, and therefore the more powerful the Mass Effect field. This typically means only devices capable of housing a large Element Zero concentration, or Core, can generate fields of significance. This leads to the consistently high prices for weapons, medical equipment, sky vehicles, orbital shuttles, industrial fabricators, spaceships, advanced robotics, military grade vehicles, scientific tools, interstellar communications and high strength construction materials.

The final, and most serious, detriment is the unstable nature inherent with Element Zero. It's ability to manipulated the Slipstream to draw forth dark energy in Mass Effect fields is a residual byproduct from a supernova. It's usage requires a high level of skill, expertise and respect for the power being wielded. As the size and power of a Mass Effect field grows, so to does the risk for catastrophic failure. The operation of faster than light travel requires fields so powerful that the vessels can not safely remain within the Euclidean dimensions and must enter the Slipstream. Attempting to generate fields of that magnitude without the assistance of a translight engine is a disaster waiting to happen. Similarly, a sudden surge or drop in the current being applied to a large Mass Effect field can lead to anomalies with devastating effect not unlike the gravitational collapse of a dying star.

Curiously, scientific models on the formation and stellar cycles of the galaxy show it could have never of naturally produced enough Element Zero that is currently used in the collective Mass Relay network. This has lead to speculative theories that the Protheans had discovered alternative sources of Element Zero, were capable of transit to other galaxies where the Element Zero there could be harvested, or, more radically, had developed a method of producing the precious material artificially. While scientists scoff at the notion of synthetic creation and focused their efforts on determining if the first two solutions were possible this has not stopped entrepreneurs from bankrolling a pursuit of the modern day philosopher's stone.

Because of their power the Slipstream and Element Zero shape galactic policy and lifestyle at every twist and turn. The galactic civilization could not exist nor function the way it does without the knowledge of how to use either but care and respect but be priority one when doing so. In the right hands it brings the marvels of the galaxy to your fingertips but in the wrong hands it can bring about destruction and ruin with ease.

* * *

**Codex Entry: Asari**

The Asari, scientific name Thilykos Psukhikos, are a monogendered species hailing from the planet Thessia in the Parnitha system, Athena Nebula. Famed for being the founders of the Citadel Council and their excellence in intellectual, diplomatic and cultural pursuits, to say there would be no galactic civilization without them is a stretch but only barely. Their influence is seen and felt in every aspect of Council space and beyond making them the preeminent species of the galaxy.

The species exhibits the amazing parallels of sapient evolution, made even more peculiar in their resemblance to females of several species despite lacking two genders. Body structure is slightly smaller in stature but still comparable to other species. The endoskeletal structure containing high levels of cartilage, decreasing weight and increasing flexibility. The average asari is physically weaker than other species but far more quick and agile. The skin is made of fine scales and ranging in coloration from light blues to deeper purples, with facial and body markings taking on a pink or white hue. A crest of semi rigid cartilage sweeps across the crown and back of the head. They display a high level of tolerance to Element Zero making them the only sapient species to develop biotics naturally. This can be attributed to the adaptations such as robust cellular regeneration to combat the effects of Element Zero toxicity and a unique bioelectric extrasensory method of communication that enhances natural biotic ability.

The asari are among the most long lived species in the galaxy, averaging nearly a millennium with modern medical science. Their natural ability to ward off senescence gives distinct four stages to an asari lifetime, with the first being the Minor and involving the first twenty years of life from infancy through puberty. The asari child has little to no control over their extrasensory or biotic abilities.

The next is the Maiden stage, exhibited by the end of puberty, control of abilities and the onset of behavior that compels them to explore and partake in as many new experiences as possible. This leads to the stereotypical portrayal of the species as hedonistic. This stage may continue for several centuries as the relatively young asari searches for a desired mate and community.

The third is the Matron stage, brought about when the asari melds repeatedly with an individual or if she begins to lose her wanderlust and settles down in a community. A Matron is very experienced from centuries lived, with many holding multiple proficiencies in various fields.

The fourth and final is the Matriarch stage, which occurs when the asari has exited her childbearing years. Matriarchs are always placed in positions of great authority and valued for their wisdom. As a seemingly unspoken rule, all Asari representatives to the Council have been Matriarchs.

Asari mating, extrasensory ability and natural biotics are deeply interlinked. Their ancestors were a colonial marine creature which depended upon physical interaction for communication and reproduction. The species conveyed basic thoughts and concepts through touch and bioelectical pulses. These exceptional abilities would provide the foundation for their mastery of biotics, which relies upon extensive control of the nervous system.

Asari are capable of mating with any sentient species with a sufficiently advanced nervous system. The melding process, known culturally as embracing eternity, links the nervous systems through bioeletrical pulses. After several meldings an asari will gain an understanding of her chosen mate's genetic template. She then uses it to randomize her own always resulting in a single asari child despite the species of the father. This does not mean that asari abstain from engaging in or enjoying recreational sexual intimacy. Only that it will not result in conception unless melding occurs frequently.

To maximize diversity this has lead to the custom of seeking out mates of different species. Indeed, the pairing of two asari for creating offspring seems to be rare and almost taboo. An asari may take on many mates in her lifetime although this should not be confused with promiscuity. Due to their long lifespans and their choice in mates, they often outlive them and may find another after grieving the loss. At most the average asari will have no more than three offspring in her lifetime. There are some counter culture elements that adhere to racial purity, although these enclaves are small, typically frowned upon in asari society and live in secluded regions of asari controlled space.

Asari society is built around their communal nature and lifespans. Population density is very low and spread across several colony worlds. Education teaches basic levels and then allows asari to use centuries lived to learn higher disciplines at their leisure. This longevity allows for the accumulation of knowledge and wealth, leading to a dominance in the galactic economy. As such their preferred method of galactic warfare is cultural and economic. They tend to take the long view, willing to let schemes and plans run the course of decades or even centuries while their enemies scramble for short term victories. The primary asari religion is Siari, a pantheon belief fusing several elements of ancient asari religions with modern spiritualism based upon their ability to mate with any species and natural biotic nature. The ancient goddess Athame figures heavily into this religion as the source of these gifts.

The primary areas of asari focus of the asari economy and technology are law, investing in new technologies, scientific study of all manner, and licensing proprietary technology. Asari are intuitive and revolutionary in their application of Mass Effect fields and associated technology, making their vehicles, FTL systems and bioamps the finest in the galaxy outside the Covenant. The universities on asari worlds are run by guilds that offer tuition in their discipline and apprenticeship in affiliated corporations upon graduation. Many asari choose to study abroad at least once, relishing the chance to assimilate to foreign cultures and learn from the perspective of different species.

Their government consists of direct democratic voting on most issues and public servants in local and regional authority. There is very little concentrated government power in asari society with colonies being under self governance away from Thessia. The real power comes from individual councils, corporations and guilds with Matriarchs shaping public policy for all asari. This structure can be too decentralized and even frustrating for allied races to deal with. Asari diplomacy shines as they strive to maintain excellent relations with their allies and business partners. Since the asari were the first to discover the Citadel and were a founding member of the Council, much of the function and law pertaining reflect asari societal structure. The districts and ward arms of the Citadel bear asari names and the default language of many services and VIs is Thessian.

The Asari Commandos are considered the most elite military force in the galaxy, honing their craft over several centuries. Various conflicts have revealed that although exceptionally skilled and augmented by incredible biotic talent, the asari still have little chance of winning in a conventional war. Their skill sets and low numbers are more suited for anti terrorism and special forces operations. The decentralized manner of governance creates a lack of unified military force with regional and municipal authorities funding paramilitary forces equipped and trained according to the tasks necessary. Some may field small squads while others create large units still there exists heavy dependence upon VI controlled mechs and other allied species for defense.

Provided they retain their seat on the Council there is little chance the asari will be dethroned anytime soon as the dominant species of the galaxy. What does trouble the galaxy is just what manner of games and schemes the asari might be planning currently which will not come into fruition for several hundred years.

* * *

**Codex Entry: Biotics**

Biotics is the catch all term for the individuals, sciences and activities revolving around the biologically created and induced manipulations of dark energy found in several sentient species across the galaxy. Typically the manipulation of a Mass Effect field is a mechanical process requiring an element zero core, power source and transmitter to project and shape the field. With biotics the element zero is refined dust form that has fused with the nervous system or analogue. The power source is the bioelectrical energy generated by the organism. The transmitter is the mind and nervous system or analogue which is used to shape and project the field.

The occurrence and frequency of biotics varies by species, with Element Zero toxicity playing a major role. The level of exposure to Element Zero a species must endure in order to generate biotic individuals borders on the toxic level. The asari are the only documented case of a sapient species having naturally occurring biotic ability. Other sapient species display varying levels of biotic potential but on average the ratio of biotic individuals per population is exceedingly low with some species incapable of producing biotic individuals. Biotic potential has been documented in asari, batarians, drell, humans, jiralhanae, salarians, sangheili, turians and volus.

The typical method for biotic manifestation is exposure to refined dust form Element Zero. The prevalent use of Mass Effect fields makes the risk of exposure is very high, although the price of Element Zero combined with it's toxicity ensures that safety precautions are in place to prevent exposure and waste of the precious material. Additionally, most devices sold to the public for personal use contain small amounts of Element Zero, so small that even if exposed the toxicity levels are not enough to warrant concern, nor influence biotic potential.

Researchers in biology and genetics are still unsure why Element Zero has a peculiar reaction with the nervous system of specific species. The general consensus is that genetic markers and possibly chemical composition mark an individual as more receptive to biotic potential, but results are inconclusive. In all species with biotic potential it is expressed when a gestating individual is exposed but in some species the potential can be achieved prior to the individual reaching a pubescent stage. For the asari this is done through the expectant mother or young child living on Thessia or by eating meals consisting of native Thessian organisms high in Element Zero content. For non asari, this is done via exposure to Element Zero at toxic levels. This happens from the mishandling of Element Zero, eating Thessian organisms regularly, or accidents where high levels of the material are exposed.

The risks run for non asari increase as the toxicity threshold is reached or exceeded, typically resulting in terminal cancerous growths. For this reason alone any attempts to encourage biotic potential is highly illegal. The Citadel Charter classifies it as a war crime akin to chemical and biological warfare. Still, accidents happen and foolish individuals hoping to beat the odds will always tempt fate. These events are always investigated and prosecuted by the Citadel Council to prevent the foolish idea of creating biotic individuals at the expense of so many others.

In the rare event that a non asari individual manifests biotic potential, the Council mandates that local government identify and train the individual in the control of their gifts. The fear being that a biotic individual is a danger to themselves and the public if not properly trained. Because of such fears and the small numbers of non asari biotics there exists bigotry towards biotics in many societies.

Biotic potential in an individual is assessed by the presence of small nodules throughout the nervous system. These growths envelope clusters of Element Zero, fusing it to the nervous system. Ancient asari learned that even with extensive training that biotic ability was taxing, difficult and not very powerful. As they developed sciences they discovered that the nervous system of a biotic was inefficient and never quite synced properly to generate the appropriate focus and energy levels. This lead to the development of the cybernetic implant known as a bioamp. The bioamp is a species specific series of devices surgically implanted at specific points of the nervous system. A master implant is placed at the base of the neck which houses a VI controlled module attuned to the individual that assists in synchronizing and maximizing biotic potential. The VI module can be exchanged for an updated version provided it is compatible with the implant system. If not, then a costly overhaul is necessary requiring surgery to remove the old system and replace it with a newer generation model. Because the initial implantation process is usually done for free or at extreme discount courtesy of their government, many biotics never bother to update to newer models at their own expense, choosing instead to simply update the VI module.

The three limitations to biotic ability are power, training and imagination. Power limits just how much a biotic can achieve as their nervous system can only produce or handle so much bioelectrical energy at any given time. Additionally, their Element Zero nodules are very small, placing a limit on how much energy can be passed through them to power a Mass Effect field. The final component of power limitation is the taxing effect it has on the body. Even the most robust biotic specimens such as Krogan or Sangheili exhibit limited ability to consistently use their biotics in a short period of time. Persistent usage in a small time frame will lead to extreme exhaustion, potential nerve damage and possible aneurysms or comas.

With training, a young biotic learns not only how their body functions in regards to manipulating dark energy, but also how that dark energy affects the world around them. Species operate academies where young biotics are educated but this technique has been largely criticized because often the biotic has no choice in attending and often pressed into military service. In rare circumstances, individual mentoring is possible if the government has a program for approving such arrangements. The asari method used by all species is to educate the biotic in basic physics alongside a regimen of diet, nutrition and exercise. Self control to prevent unwanted outbursts of dark energy is reinforced with the process gradually moving on to teaching basic biotic techniques for manipulating dark energy.

Imagination plays a huge role in biotic potential, and it's limitations. The biotic's control extends to just how well they can focus their ability on a desired effect. The study of biotic potential, primarily as a combat tool, is considered akin to a martial art, requiring years of study and perfection. Most biotics are familiar with basic techniques such as creating fields to increase or decrease mass. Advanced techniques, such as creating a temporary singularity, erecting a barrier of dark energy or traversing through the Slipstream, are well beyond the grasp of all but masters of biotics. Even worse, the slightest mistake while performing advanced biotic techniques is potentially dangerous to the biotic and allies.

Because biotics are rare outside of asari the public rarely encounters or knows they are encountering a biotic individual unless they use their gifts. This reinforces the fearful and bigoted perception as the primary way the public encounters biotics using their gifts is through media reports on the violent escapades of biotic criminals, biotic mercenaries, biotic soldiers and biotic terrorists.


	6. Violence Is Never The Answer?

**AN: ****Standard disclaimer. This fic is massively AU and will combine elements from Halo and Mass Effect into one continuity. No separate galaxies. No parallel universe travelers. I have tweaked aspects to fit them together and taken plenty of creative license.**

******This chapter is a continuation of the issues revolving around young Shepard. I want to stress that he is only a teenager right now and not going to be perfect. Much of his journey will be self discovery that turns him into the man he will become later on. Still even that man will possess flaws and make mistakes. **

******I also should stress that as this is done via first person, you are only getting Shepard's side on issues. That was done deliberately to leave the motives and musings of other characters in mystery until they voice or act on them. You're just as clueless as Shepard is, and your perception to issues will be colored by his own thoughts and personality.**

* * *

**Sargasso, Bekenstein, Boltzmann System, Serpent Nebula; March 7th, 2572 [Standardized Terran Calendar], 0843 [Local Time, Terran Standard]**

Heated water sprayed on my head and shoulders, creating soothing cascades down my back and chest. I leaned forward and closed my eyes absorbing the marvelous effects it had for my sore and aching muscles which had seen so much abuse as of late. Basketball practice, football practice, and swimming in the sea on top of a daily exercise routine which had been drilled into my head by Matron Malegos. Ever since she had learned of the behavior Ari and I engaged in she had increased the physical component to our biotic training. An odd but brutal asari mixture of calisthenics and yoga like stretching made more punishing in the early morning Bekenstein heat.

I tapped on the haptic controls to increase the heat of the water, raising it to the point where my skin flushed. Opening my eyes I raised my left arm to practice the ambidextrous drills the Matron had been introducing into our biotic education. I'd yet to become proficient in just one, but she stressed it was important to have a handful on mnemonic devices to obtain the same biotic result. Not the least of which was being able to perform an ability with either hand. In theory, one could train themselves to be able to create biotic effects with no movement at all, but this required years of extensive training and body control, something bordering on the level of the mystical.

A few casual upward flicks of my left hand at the wrist yielded small tingles but no aura and no mass effect fields being raised. I closed my eyes again and let the feel of the steaming hot water bring me into a hypnotic trance, breathing slowly in a steady rhythm through my nose. I tried again to no avail, only a tingle and slight jolt.

Frowning and growling deep in my throat, I tried again, this time feeling the surge of my biotics fully engage. The steaming water of the shower stopped flowing and floated all around me. Giving myself an experimental push off and my feet lifted slowly off the hard tiles as a sense of weightlessness enveloped me. I kept my eyes closed, focused on maintaining the field of lowered mass and remembering the sensation, the neural pathways used to create this effect with my left hand. Once the strain started to become too much, I began easing off the power I was feeding into the field. It seemed excruciatingly long since my body was already taxed from today's lessons and I had to fight to focus through my internal urging to just release.

Once I felt my toes touch down, I let go of the field and the breath I had seemingly been holding forever. Water splashed down all around me, bouncing off the tiled floor and glass enclosure of the shower stall. Once again the shower streamed it's hot rain down on me, and once again I leaned forward, my arms resting on the tiled surface of the wall as I caught my breath behind a satisfied grin.

I proceeded to lather up as I contemplated how I would spend the day and still manage to avoid interaction with my relatives. It was childish, I know, but the polite questioning over my college plans, or lack thereof, had morphed into less than subtle reminders that I needed to make a decision soon. My grandfather's running gag of wanting to turn my room into an art studio was becoming more and more pronounced as the months inched towards June. He'd gone so far as to purchase a stack of canvases that were currently in a storage room downstairs next to the skycar garage. Every time I passed by I was reminded of my impending doom. A Machiavellian life lesson, I suppose.

Breathing deeply, I held my head under the spray to rinse the shampoo and soap from my hair and body. It wasn't that I wanted to be a bum or layabout, I just had no desire to attend college.

Actually, that wasn't true. I just had no clue what I wanted to major in. What I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I didn't want to take my grandparent's credits to spend a year or two 'finding myself'. That might actually be worse than if I managed to stick around here after I graduated from the academy.

Everyone had their ideas and bits of advice. My Abuela and Tio Julian had suggested an extended trip through Council space. See the wonders of the galaxy like I had dreamed of as a kid. Experience culture and art on homeworlds and major colonies. My Tia Alicia had the grand idea of apprenticing with biotics instructors so that I might become an instructor myself, even going so far as to offer a room at her family condo in the Presidium of the Citadel while I studied.

Lizzy and Abuelo, of course, were still on the same track. Go to college. Get a degree. Don't be a fuck up. Live up to the family name.

The only thing everyone could agree upon was that both Ari and myself were rather sheltered. We grew up on Mindoir, with it's small outer colony lifestyle, tucked away from most sectors of civilized space. Now we were on Bekenstein, in the affluent province of Sargasso. Not another home for kilometers in any direction. No roads and no traffic, we were technically even more isolated from society. It might do us some good to get out into the galaxy to grow up a bit.

Finishing up I turned the shower off and grabbed a towel from the nearby rack to dry myself. Movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention causing me to focus on the distraction. Instead of some intrusion into the bathroom I came face to face with my own reflection.

Lowering the towel I took a good look at myself in all my supposed glory. I wasn't like my father, a small mountain of muscle and strength. I wasn't sinewy and lean like my Abuela, Tio, and cousin Sahan. My Abuela, Mom, Tia, sisters and cousin Linda were tall and graceful. Me? I was a mismatched hodgepodge. I was taller than most everyone in the family save my father and I had his wide shoulders, big hands, large feet and his ears. My face was more like my grandfather, and I had inherited his dark chocolate brown eyes and inky black wavy mess of hair as well. I was athletic with a fair amount of toned muscle. I definitely got enough exercise from all sports I played but my frame seemed larger than I needed. I could only hope I grew into it.

Frowning at myself, I sighed and shook my head. It was no wonder I couldn't get a date. I was definitely awkward looking. And if I didn't figure what I wanted to do with my life soon, I was going to become a burden on my family as well.

Sighing with that uplifting thought process in place I dressed and cleaned up my mess. I opened the door to see Ari lingering in the hallway with her own towel and supplies. She shoved past me in a rush to take her own shower, "You took long enough, dumbass."

Shaking my head at her behavior, I wondered why she hadn't just gone and used one of the other showers in the house. My annoyance spiked further with jealousy since I knew she was scrambling to get ready to go out with friends. Ari had the uncanny ability and extroverted personality to make friends wherever she went while I was an outcast. It wasn't her fault for my own problems but at times I had to really struggle to repress my envy. Still, she could be a brat at times and I had no problem with pointing that out. "I love you too, Ari. Have fun with all your little goober friends."

Okay, maybe I was being bitter.

After making a detour to my room, I headed downstairs to find a book to read. Maybe watch a biotiball or ricochet game on the big display downstairs, provided I could manage to evade my grandparents long enough to watch it. Wasn't there an EUCC match between the top ranked teams today? Or was that tomorrow? Anything was better than sitting around in my room and playing with my omnitool. I'd pretty much given up on finding anything useful or entertaining on the local cache for Bekenstein and the shows on the extranet channels were garbage. Really, who wanted to hear eighteen different panels discussing the funding for the CDEM or negotiations to rehabilitate Tuchanka or Rakhana? Or what scandal that I could not honestly care less about some random member of the Ashland family was involved in?

Upon reaching the ground floor I flopped down on my favorite sofa and activated my omnitool. The holo display on the far side of the room activated, creating a huge vid projection across the wall with today's schedule and events ready for viewing.

Using my omnitool to scroll through the choices I couldn't find the EUCC match but there was an American rules football match that was live. The Tehran Palangs and Caracas Botos.

Making my selection the stream buffered and then went live... to halftime. Cursing my luck I was about to change the selection when I saw the halftime team gleefully reviewing a pretty spectacular play which was being replayed on the screen.

"And right there, you can see Truong gets her shoulder right under Roggeveen's left arm. Just really levels him."

The crew, all former players given how large and overly muscular they were, nodded and appreciated the hit which leveled both players. One of them voiced their appraisal, "Yeah I hit a guy like that back in '61. I can completely understand how she fractured her collarbone and separated her shoulder on a play like that."

His colleague chuckled and chimed in, "Yeah but didn't you put Orlov down for like a week or two?"

He smiled back at his colleague and nodded, correcting her slightly "Two weeks. Made them lose their spot in the playoffs."

Their reminiscing about the good old days came to a halt as a sideline reporter chimed in with an updated report, "Good news all around. After having her injuries stabilized and treated the Botos expect Truong to be back for the second half. The Palangs have announced that they have stopped the internal bleeding and Roggeveen's condition has been upgraded from critical to stable condition. He's gone for today's game but they're confident he'll be ready for next week's game against the Springboks in Cape Town. Back to you in the studio, Indrani."

The mentioned presenter nodded and concluded the discussion, "Thanks for the update, Kaveh. That's what you like to hear. Good clean hard plays that everyone can walk away from. Now we're going to take a break with a word from one of today's sponsors, Tupari."

I groaned as my omnitool lit up and pinged, a clear sign that the stream had scanned my identitag before loading a targeted ad. A bright yellow screen with garishly colored cans of Tupari drinks appeared with horrendous Wards style EDM blasting and an obnoxiously loud and enthusiastic voice shouting over it.

"_Greetings, Luis Vincent Shepard! You look thirsty! Care to try a new Tupari Lite? From the makers of Tupari and Tupari Charged! It's packed with essential nutrients and minerals that your levo-based physiology needs!" _

Vids of very attractive and scantily clad women appeared and began dancing around with each other to the throbbing bassline of the music. Most of them were humans but there were a few asari and drell. And I think one of them was a quarian, but that had to be completely digital. No way a quarian would risk illness just so they could be paid to strip down and recorded dancing for an ad.

I think.

Catching myself staring I shook my head and remembered this was just a vid. Still, without the whole bodysuit, quarians were kinda cute. Or at least this one was. That is if you go for the whole purple xeno elven thing. Taking a glance down to her legs, however, was more than a bit of a turn off. And those feet were super weird.

"_Your identitag states you are a human male nearing prime reproductive age! You'll need to be in top form to attract females for endless nights of mating pleasure! New Tupari Lite helps you sustain stamina while providing a cool refreshing taste of foods that will remind you of Earth! New Tupari Lite comes in Kalamari, Krysa, and Ko'a flavors!"_

My eyebrows rose incredulously at the idea of this being serious. Not that I knew much about sex besides what the super awkward vids from school taught but I did know there were better supplements than some Salarian energy drink. Come to think of it, didn't the Salarians have zero sex drive? How the hell did they figure their drink made everyone else aroused?

I was dumbfounded again as the vid of the very attractive quarian in question cracked open a can and took a drink before winking suggestively at me.

Okay, now I really hope this is a simulation otherwise that cute quarian is probably dead from ingesting stuff that species with healthy immune systems considered barely edible.

"_But that's not all! You can share a Tupari Lite with your turian and quarian friends! That's right! Tupari Lite is safe for both levo and dextro based physiologies! Just see here!"_

The ad cut away to a vid of a krogan in a lab. He looked apprehensively at someone off screen, dubiously voicing his concerns. "And I'm getting paid for this right, pyjack?"

There was someone muffled, probably edited out, talking off screen. The krogan was seemingly satisfied and cracked open the can of Tupari Lite. "Let's do this."

I watched in morbid fascination as he swallowed the entire thing in one swig and slammed the empty can down. Giving the person off screen a very dissatisfied look he gestured to the can, "Is it supposed to taste like that? It's like drinking stewed varren droppings."

More mumbling off screen was followed by the krogan becoming perturbed and insulted, "Don't bother about how I know what stewed varren droppings taste like. Where's the credits, pyjack?" The krogan paused and put a hand to his stomach, leaning over slightly and belching loudly. He looked up, bewildered and began moaning, "Am I supposed to feel it in both stomachs?"

Now completely terrified the vid cut back to the holos of the women dancing to the loud music while the voice finished it's sales pitch followed by a rapid disclaimer, _"Tupari Lite! It packs a wallop so strong even a krogan is knocked back! You want to impress your peers and prospective mates, Luis Vincent Shepard? Grab a Tupari Lite right now! Legal Notice: Cimaroon Beverage Company is not responsible if you consume more than is suggested; Scan a can for nutritional data relevant to your medical info; Cimaroon Beverage Company is not responsible for infections and possible deaths caused by sharing a beverage with a quarian."_

Yeah now I was positive that quarian was dead. And for reasons that only my teenage metabolism could fathom, that oddly segued into my being hungry now.

Heading towards the kitchen to find something to munch on I paused hearing my grandparents talking with my uncle. When did he get here? I wasn't in the shower that long, despite what Ari might say to the contrary.

Creeping forward I could see they were seated in the kitchen area, talking in hushed tones which naturally made my inquisitive teenage mind want to know more.

My Abuela was the first to notice my entrance, smiling at me like she hadn't seen me for days. Such a bad poker face. How was she a lawyer? "Are you hungry? It looked like your tutor really worked the two of you hard today."

"Too hard if you ask me." My Abuelo leaned back in his chair and grumbled. Although he abided by the necessity of the lessons he hardly approved. It's not that he a bigot like Bisabuela Elvira, he just didn't like having to pay someone who gave orders around his house. Matron Malegos had no qualms with making remarks about the insufficiency of the home for training biotic children. Weather permitting, and even on occasions when it wasn't, we were training outside or in one of the conservatories. I'd say it was with some spiritual need to connect with nature but I think the Matron had a relatively low opinion of humans. Or at least the ones in this household. And who could blame her after Bisabuela's behavior? But credits were credits, a universal truth even my Abuelo understood. "I keep telling you Vivian, she wants to turn Araceli into one of those huntresses."

My Abuela rolled her eyes at her husband, tired of having this argument with her mother and husband. She fixed him with an unamused glare while giving a subtle shake of her head, "And I keep telling you that a little exercise and discipline never hurt any child." She pursed her lips and looked at her son, Julian. "I wish there had been a tutor like that for the three of you when you were children. Would have saved me lots of headaches."

If my Tio was affronted in the slightest he didn't show it. Instead he grinned and sipped his drink, ngon juice from what I could tell. Ngon was an orange colored tuber like plant that could be eaten as is or roasted but was often pressed into a juice that was packed with nutrients and minerals, making it exceptionally healthy for any levo based life forms.

It also one of the few edible foods produced by the ecosystem of Sur'Kesh that didn't look like it had been defecated or smelled like it had rotted.

Which pretty much explained that Tupari ad now that I think about it.

Ignoring the question in favor of letting them continue to talk amongst themselves, I opted to check the fridge for something to eat in addition of a drink. Let's see... hmmmmm. A banana. Some water. Leftover kebabs. Roast asparagus. Potato gratin. And there was still some ngon juice. Perfectly healthy meal for a ravenous teenage male.

I quickly made a plate for myself and perched it atop my two glasses, expertly moving towards the small kitchen table everyone was sitting at. Taking a seat I noticed their conversation had died. Looking up from my plate I noticed I had become a spectacle for everyone. Abuelo had an amused smile on his face while Tio Julian and Abuela wore looks of slight revulsion. Becoming self conscious of my meal I double checked to see if anything was wrong and found nothing. Shrugging I tore into the first skewer, removing a piece of lamb and popping it into my mouth.

Abuela Vivian's face became even more contorted in disgust as she looked away, shaking her head. "You don't want to at least warm that up?" At my grunting a negative response, she sighed and was about to continue the conversation from before when the vid display in the den blared loudly announcing the start of the second half.

Realizing I had forgotten about leaving it on I smiled around my mouthful of food in apology. I quickly deactivated the vid display remotely through my omnitool and resumed eating my meal. Abuela rolled her eyes at my antics and looked to my Uncle, "I'm still not sure what it is you want from us, mijo."

Julian tore his eyes away from my demolishing of the food on my plate to address his mother, "Friends. Acquaintances. Anyone from Bekenstein or even outside that you think would be interested in supporting the cause."

"And therein lies the problem." My Abuelo didn't seem convinced of whatever it was Tio Julian was talking about, but given what I knew of his job it probably was throwing a fundraiser party for some business or political party. Leaning forward, he played with an empty glass in his left hand before staring my uncle down, "We both know this isn't for anything you're claiming it to be and I have a sneaking suspicion of who this really is for."

Julian leaned back and folded his arms, defensive but defiant. He coolly responded to his father's insinuation, "And we both know you've never had a problem with supporting them in the past. Why the change of heart?"

"It doesn't take a genius to realize they've gone rogue. Even this man you have hosting the party, Hock. He's Terminus trash. A pinche pendejo that thinks if he donates credits to art museums that people will forget he runs military grade equipment to insurrectionists. And then they sell if off to the same type of bastards that killed your sister." I'd rarely seen my Abuelo this fiery in a discussion with anyone. Usually it took direct insults or threats to bring this side out of him but never had I seen it directed at a family member.

The mention of my mother and the types that killed her grabbed my attention, which my Abuela immediately noticed. Before either of us could get a word in, my grandfather continued his tirade, pointing a finger at my uncle. "You're mixed up with the wrong types. They talk a good game and say all the right things. Defense of the human race. Human superiority. But they're bottom feeders who prey upon their own people for a few credits. If you don't smarten up, you're going to be labeled with the same brush."

"Perhaps this isn't a conversation we should be having now." My Abuela intervened before father and son could get further in their argument, eager to settle tempers before someone said something they regretted. I also got the idea she didn't want me to understand what my Abuelo Hector meant by 'the same bastards that killed your sister.'

I was proven right when my grandfather rebuked her, "Absolutely not, Vivian. Luis needs to learn about the harsh realities of the galaxy." He stared me down as if I had been the one to offended him, causing me to pause in my eating but gaining my full attention. "What happened to your mother is the result of a pissing match the Hegemony and Systems Alliance have been engaging in for decades." He turned to glare at my uncle, who didn't flinch or back down from glaring in return, "And your Tio seems to think supporting the bastards that profit by playing both sides is a good idea."

To say I was shocked would be an understatement. There had to be a misunderstanding. Maybe my Abuelo was being hyperbolic, exaggerating my uncle's involvement. I mean, he couldn't be supporting the same people that aided in my mother, his sister's death? Could he?

Whatever calm and cool demeanor he had held during this conversation disintegrated at the claim, causing him to lash out in frustration and anger at my grandfather, "That's not even remotely true and you know it!" He took a deep breath and leaned back in his seat staring out the window onto the green fields surrounding the house. For a moment it was quiet as everyone seemed at a loss of how to continue the conversation at hand. For my part I plopped off an onion from the skewer and set it aside, reaching for the mushroom that was next in line. I wasn't particularly fond of onions. Alright, that's a lie. I hated them. Flesh of Satan, in my honest opinion. I didn't understand the obsession with putting them into just about every meal. Nevertheless, I had become adept at picking them out of my food and putting them off to the side. It had become such a habit that even in my emotionally confused state I did it without thinking.

The moment had given my Tio enough time to gain his composure and think his way through what he wanted to say. Licking his lips, he finally made eye contact with my grandfather, who had never stopped glaring at him, "They do the job that the UNSC and Systems Alliance are too scared to perform for fear of upsetting our alien overlords. Do you think the Council has our best interests at heart?" He leaned forward again, hoping to make his point more vivid with his audience, "They didn't after Harvest because the Covenant scares them. They only negotiated with us after Shanxi because we scared them. And that is the lesson learned. They're cowards that don't care about anything but themselves."

My Abuelo stared at his son for a moment before grunting, clearly unconvinced. "Thank you for the history lesson, Julian. Now let me inform you about what you can only dream about knowing." He leaned forward to match his son's posture as he condescended towards him, "Better men than you have delivered that speech to me in far better ways. The old crowd lived up to their motto and goals. This new bunch, the ones that have shown up since Harvest ended? They're self serving dogs that associate with the lowest rungs of the galaxy to achieve their goals. Little better than insurrectionists. Until I see a change I will not give them another credit. And I can assure you, I'm not the only one."

My Tio snarled, ready to deliver a nasty retort when my Abeula cleared her throat and pointedly looked at her son and husband. His reply died in his throat as he nodded and leaned back, observing his father with disgust. After another moment of the staring contest, he shook his head and acquiesced, "Of course, father. Leave it to the reactionaries on Arcturus, right?"

"That is enough! Both of you!" If my mother's trademarked bark had been fearsome, then she learned it from her mother, who sounded like she could make krogans weak kneed. In fact, so many of my mother's mannerisms where apparent in my Abuela's current stance. The pinching of the bridge of her nose and drumming of her fingernails on the table. The squared shoulders and tensed posture. The same quirked lips and eye roll. It was uncanny and a little impressive to see how three generations of women in my family mirrored each other. Ari and Lizzy had so many of the same traits and all of them meant the same thing. I'm pissed and you're not going to like what follows.

It would seem the other men at the table knew the warning signs of an impending explosion and carefully withdrew from their battlefield before a vastly superior opponent arrived. I'm not sure if it was recklessness or my own curiosity that got the best of me, but I disregarded the threat in order to ask, "Who are these people you're talking about?"

I was partly annoyed and partly amused by the reaction my question garnered. Both my uncle and grandfather tensed and looked away, obviously fearing my Abuela enough to avoid answering. I was on the receiving end of a death glare that made me wilt and look down that the two empty skewers on my plate. I grabbed my fork and dug into the gratin and asparagus. Out of the corner of my eye I saw my Abuela shake her head, the auburn waves shaking side to side as she leaned forward to massage her temples.

After another awkward moment of silence, aside from my chewing, my Tio drained his glass of juice and stood, beaming at his mother. "Unfortunately, I have to cut this visit short. I still have business to attend to on Milgrom before I head back to the Citadel tonight."

My Abuela stood as well and embraced her son in a hug, squeezing him tight and giving him a kiss on the cheek. He gave a short laugh and kissed her back before slapping me on the shoulder. "It was good to see you again, sobrino. Tell your sister I said bye, okay?" I nodded around a mouthful of food while he looked down at me with a smirk. Taking a quick glance at my plate and glasses, his smirk widened as he winked at me. "Maybe learn some table manners while you're at it, eh? Couldn't hurt with getting girls. You're a young human male entering his sexual prime after all." He laugh and slapped me on the shoulder again.

I slowed my chewing and looked bewildered between my grandparents, who each wore looks of exasperation but in different ways. Did they know that vid ad had been on?

Abuelo and Tio Julian stared at each other for a moment before my grandfather looked away, disgusted with his son. Julian nodded once and walked out of the kitchen, no doubt headed for the stairwell that lead to the underground garage.

My grandmother stared at her husband for a moment before mumbling something under her breath and pickup up plates and glasses to put into the dishwasher. I protested, not wanting to be a burden, but she waved me off, grabbing my empties, clearly wanting something to do to vent her annoyance. After loading the dirty utensils and dishes, she turned to face the two of us, attempting to attain some normalcy in the house. "I'm taking Araceli to a friend's house for a slumber party so it will just be the three of us tonight. Any ideas for a meal?"

Tearing away himself away from glaring at the grass outside, Abuelo turned and smiled at his wife and slapped his belly. "Something light. That lamb from last night is still sitting like a rock in my stomach."

She frowned, wrinkling her nose, a slight smile on her lips. "How charming, Hector. Salad and soup sound good then?"

I nodded and offered to help, "I can start that up while you're out. What am I making?" Even if my offer was genuine, it had an ulterior motive, as did all my offers to help make food. If I controlled the ingredients I could prevent onions from being put in.

Opening the fridge, she observed the contents while clicking her tongue. Satisfied with what she found, she pulled out some corn, squash and red peppers. "Bean soup. Get them out of the pantry and some chicken broth. I can make the salad when I get back."

I walked to the pantry and retrieved the items, carrying them to the island counter where we usually prepared meals. Placing them down next to the veggies I noticed the addition of another unwelcome vegetable. An onion. I looked up to see my Abuela sauntering out of the kitchen towards the stairs. Reaching them she looked at me, then the onion, and winked before trotting upstairs to check on Ari.

Damn it. I frowned at the onion like it was something that I found offensive, which it really was. This day just gets better and better. I sighed and pulled out the cutting board, knives and pot to begin preparing the meal.

Turning on his omnitool, my grandfather began reading reports from the Sirta Foundation that wanted his input and expertise on efforts to find a cure to Kepral's Syndrome, some disease drell contracted. He flicked his fingers and the report displayed a holo of alien DNA, showing several different attempts to cure the disease. Leaning on his right elbow, he became engrossed in the display, his mouth silently wording equations and solutions as he mindlessly played with the hair on his chin.

Seeing him at work it was easy to understand how he had managed to build the fortune he had. The man was a genius when it came to genetics and became engrossed when presented with new problems or projects. A large portion of the top tier genetic augmentation packages that were only legal for UNSC special forces to receive were created and patented by the man sitting at the kitchen table.

I was so distracted watching him that I neglected to pay attention to the heavy cutting blade in my hands, easily slicing into my left index finger. I winced and pulled my hand away, not wanting to get blood all over the food. Dropping the blade I squeezed my hand and reached for the first aid kit under the sink. Ripping it open I found a few sterilizing pads and heavy gauze bandages but those were not necessary as the wound, despite it's heavy blood flow, was relatively minor. A package of small red and white tubes the size of my fingertip containing a dose of medigel was exactly what I needed.

Holding the tip with my teeth, I twisted with my right hand and the cap popped off, remaining between my teeth. Aiming the small nozzle at my cut, I gently squeezed the oozing translucent yellow gel out evenly. I braced myself for the ensuing searing hot sting and residual warming effect, hissing through my teeth as the wound sealed itself with the quasi organic substance. Over the next several hours the compounds within the medigel would replicate my genetic structure to recreate the tissue that was damaged or destroyed by my injury, leaving a perfectly flawless healing that only failed to reproduce environmental factors like suntans or tattoos.

Washing my hands to remove excess medigel and blood I then cleaned up my mess, throwing the empty medigel container into the biodegradable waste disposal unit. Returning to the island counter, I was relieved to see I had not gotten any blood on the food or cutting board. The knife itself only required a quick wash and rinsing, but I need to move fast as I had lost some time as the water in the pot was still warming to a boil.

Looking over at my grandfather he didn't seem to have noticed my accident, or had already dismissed it. I contemplated the idea of asking him to clarify on his earlier statement now that my grandmother wasn't present but decided to wait until I was sure she had left with Ari. Setting back to my task of chopping vegetables I made a steady rhythm of cutting and tossing into the pot, although I might have gained some satisfaction from mutilating the onion first.

A thundering of footfalls let me know Ari was coming down the stairs. A bag slung over her shoulder and her omnitool activated, she rushed into the kitchen and tackled Abuelo in his seat with a hug before giving him a kiss, "Okay, bye. I'll see you tomorrow." Just as quickly she charged right back out of the room, past my Abuela who was coming down the stairs at a more sedate pace, shaking her head at her granddaughter's antics.

"I'll be back in a few. Try not to burn down the house while I'm gone boys." Abuela waved and followed after Ari who had already stormed downstairs and was probably waiting impatiently next to her skycar.

Abuelo Hector recovered from the sudden impact that was Araceli and began chuckling, shaking his head and calling after his wife, "No promises, carino. But you be careful that little one doesn't run you out of the sky."

My grandmother's laughter could be heard yelling back, "I'll be fine. The dangerous one in a skycar is in the kitchen with you, amor." I paused at the insinuation and glared in her general direction but that only caused my Abuelo to laugh louder.

Sure, laugh it up, old man.

As his mirth, and my annoyance, to died down, I decided now would be the best time to bring up the topic from earlier. But it would seem he was of the same mind, but for entirely different reasons. Looking up from the display emitting from his omnitool, my Abuelo stared at me once again with seriousness, asking "Have you given anymore thought to what university you're going to attend?"

I sighed and stared at the cutting board and knife. Of course he would want to talk about that instead. Fuck my life.

* * *

**Sargasso, Bekenstein, Boltzmann System, Serpent Nebula; April 22nd, 2572 [Standardized Terran Calendar], 0916 [Local Time, Terran Standard]**

I repeatedly tapped a stylus against a datapad in boredom. I'd finished the assignment for today in my calculus course but the Mordehai Polytechnic Preparatory Academy, despite it's prestigious name, catered to the spawn of the Sargasso elite. Now I'm not saying my fellow classmates were idiots, but most of them were not going to be revolutionizing the galaxy in academics. Well, to be honest neither was I, but they were the children of the wealthy and their enrollment in the best universities humanity had to offer was guaranteed.

So that was how I found myself in this class on a Wednesday, a little over a week past my eighteenth birthday. Bored out of my mind and resisting the urge to put my head down my desk to sleep. Some fucking rugby jock that fancied himself a renaissance man was slowing down the class asking inane questions that had already been covered. Again. I didn't feel the slightest bit guilty over being rude towards the guy since, to put it bluntly, Pavlo Tarasuk was an asshole.

A soft sigh to my left brought me out of my funk. Wajiha Sellami was a dazzling young woman and practically nobility. Her father came from a lineage of wealthy prospectors that dated back to the early days of the interstellar colonization efforts and her mother was one of the many heirs to the modern day royal family of humanity, the Ashlands. I had to make it a habit not to be a creep and stare at her bronze skin or silky straight onyx tresses whenever we shared classes. Though right now she seemed to be as bored as I was, staring out of the window at the nearby coastal town of La Garza, her beautiful face in a pout as she rested her chin in her left hand.

Feeling my stare upon her, she turned and looked in my direction. I forced myself not to panic or act weird by commiserating with smile and shrug. Although I'm sure I came across as being disturbed and possibly constipated.

To my surprise she smiled back and rolled her eyes in a playful way.

My mind froze and I tried desperately to avoid looking as shocked as a I felt. Her reaction was to giggle softly and wink at me before playing with her omnitool. A moment later my own omnitool pinged a message notification and I quickly silenced it, flustered as the professor and my classmates all turned to stare at the disturbance.

Once the attention had died down, I covertly linked omnitool to my datapad and read the message.

[\ Wajiha N Sellami [A] Sarg Bekenstein [to] Luis V Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein \]

[\ Doing anything this weekend? :) \]

Resisting the urge to look at her in disbelief and point to myself comically for clarification, my slightly shaking fingers typed out a reply.

[\ Luis V Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein[to] Wajiha N Sellami [A] Sarg Bekenstein \]

[\ I have a tutor on Sundays but other than that I don't do much. Maybe go swimming. \]

She turned to me and eyed the back of my neck, smirking before responding.

[\ Wajiha N Sellami [A] Sarg Bekenstein [to] Luis V Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein \]

[\ I don't really go swimming down in the Teves much but I do have a bikini I am dying to try out. Maybe we could hang out? I've heard there are extra special things a biotic guy can do. I'm interested in finding out. \]

It took every ounce of self control I had not to blurt out anything inappropriate. This wasn't really happening. I had to be dreaming. What had really happened was that I had lost the battle to fall asleep in class and any second now I was going to be rudely awoken and laughed at.

Wajiha continued to stare down at her datapad but glanced at me out of the corner of her eye before slowly raising her eyebrows.

Holy shit. This was real and she was waiting on my reply.

Contemplating my response I figured it would be best to be as truthful as possible. It would be insanely embarrassing if I talked myself up only to be unable to deliver.

[\ Luis V Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein[to] Wajiha N Sellami [A] Sarg Bekenstein \]

[\ My tutor doesn't exactly teach those kind of things. Thankfully. It'd be super awkward to have to practice those with her, or even worse, my younger sister. \]

She frowned and tilted her head to the side, obviously less than pleased with my answer. Before my mind could panic that I had said the wrong thing a smile slowly blossomed on her face and she typed out her response.

[\ Wajiha N Sellami [A] Sarg Bekenstein [to] Luis V Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein \]

[\ Then I guess we can experiment together? I'm sure I can teach you a few tricks. \]

My pulse was starting to race and I had to slightly readjust myself because I was starting to have a physical reaction to her flirting. Still, I needed to make her keenly aware how dangerous it was for me, a relative novice with biotics, to practice new techniques on another person.

[\ Luis V Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein[to] Wajiha N Sellami [A] Sarg Bekenstein \]

[\ I'm not really supposed to be playing with my biotics like that. It could be dangerous. I don't want to hurt you. \]

I waited nervously as she read my latest message. She looked at me with hooded eyes, a devious smirk on her lips.

[\ Wajiha N Sellami [A] Sarg Bekenstein [to] Luis V Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein \]

[\ Trying to say you're dangerous? I might like that, a lot. So are you willing, biotic bad boy? \]

Moment of truth. My heart was thundering in my chest and my hands had become a sweaty and shaking mess. I made sure to catch her attention before nodding slowly. Her smile brightened and she nodded once to herself.

Feeling inordinately pleased with myself, I blew out a sigh of relief and looked around the room, unable to suppress the grin growing on my face. Everyone in the class appeared to have been oblivious to what just happened which, oddly enough, only made me giddier.

Well, everyone except Pavlo, who was looking between Wajiha and myself with a dour expression.

Locking eyes with me his frown became a hard scowl which made me slightly nervous. He wasn't dating, Wajiha, was he? I didn't bother to keep track of the relationships at the academy since they seemed to change by the week. Maybe he wanted to date her?

I felt a surge of territorial pride overcome me, urging me to glare back and defend myself and my interests. She may not be my girlfriend, but she had shown interest in me and I would be damned if I was going to be scared off by some jealous jackass.

He seemed genuinely shocked at my reciprocated scowl. Most people didn't have the nerve to piss him off. Hell, I normally wouldn't have the nerve to piss him off but I was feeling particularly fearless at the moment. Once the shock had worn off, Pavlo looked livid, mumbling threats under his breath in my direction.

Ignoring him became easy when I looked back at Wajiha, who would look at me periodically and smile, boosting my ego nonstop. In what seemed like no time at all, the class was over and everyone was grabbing their belongings to head to their next course. I had a basic physics class next on the other side of the campus so I needed to hurry, having around ten minutes to get there through the throng of my fellow classmates.

Waving at Wajiha, who was still putting her datapad into her bag, I headed off. Exiting into the hallway I was immediately forced to fight my way through the chaos of teenagers walking in every direction, not looking where they were going and generally being clueless to their surroundings. Tightening the hold I had on the school bag slung over my shoulder, I pushed through a pair of girls, stopped and walked around another, and cut across a conversation of guys near the staircase. Going with the flow of students descending, my omnitool pinged again, and I brought it up, eagerly wondering if Wajiha had sent me another message.

[\ Pavlo R Tarasuk [A] Sarg Bekenstein [to] Luis V Shepard [A] Sarg Bekenstein \]

[\ Look up, motherfucker. \]

Look up? I looked around in a slight panic, realizing I had not been paying attention to my surroundings and I might have wandered into some sort of trap. Seeing nothing but other kids moving to and from their classes I calmed until a shrill whistle pierced the stairwell. Everyone turned to look in it's direction, near the top of the steps, where Pavlo was standing holding a rugby football in his hands, his omnitool still activated.

My mind froze and I had a flashback to that batarian on Mindoir. Balak. Rushing from the treeline of our orchards at me with his rifle raised. Fear seized my mind as I began vividly recalling my mother's lifeless body staring into the distance.

A split second later my head was rocked back and my lips and nose burst with a searing pain as something smashed into my face. I stumbled backwards, awkwardly grabbing anything I could but everyone jumped out of my way, allowing me to fall backwards down the last few steps. I heard more than felt the smack of my head against the tile of the stairwell and my datapad being broken against my back. Again I was recalling the dazed feeling and panic of being knocked on my back that day on Mindoir. The gasps and laughter of my classmates being drowned out by the memory the batarian I had killed barking orders at me, aiming that harpoon rifle, the Kishock, at my head. The high ceiling of the stairwell morphing from it's grey tones to the blue skies of Mindoir.

Slowly the muddled imagery in my mind faded and the haze of emotions dulled, allowing me to sit up and feel my face. My back and tailbone throbbed from where I had fallen and my head felt fuzzy like it had for a few days after Mindoir. My lips were unnaturally warm and sticky and I taste the bitter copper flavor of blood in my mouth. Groping upwards I touched my nose and recoiled as it was tender to the touch and bleeding freely. Looking down I could see the front of my green shirt had several crimson stains of blood on it. To my right the weapon of my attack, Pavlo's rugby football, lay not unlike the final harpoon the batarian had fired.

Shouting got my attention as I saw Wajiha in an argument with Pavlo, who looked smug over his actions. He noticed my stare and called down to me, chuckling to himself "I told you to look up, Mindy."

I snarled and stood quickly. My mind had snapped and overpowering rage consumed me. I wasn't going to let him get away with this. Not with trying to intimidate me. Not with attacking me. Not with making fun of the fact I was from Mindoir. No one was going to push me around or threaten me again.

Warm tears, partly from my nose injury and partly from the raging tsunami of emotions building inside of me wet the corners of my eyes. I shook and practically vibrated in place, fists clenching at my sides.

"Oh, what are you going to do, tough guy? Cry?" Pavlo continued to mock me, feeding the burning rage I had inside. His eyes, so much like that batarian's main set. Mocking me. Daring me. "You think you're so badass because you survived some pirate attack. I bet you hid and cried the whole time while your family was killed, you fucking coward."

That was what lit the fuse. It was as simple as that. The mention of my parent's death was all it took. Without thinking I had charged up the stairs ready to deliver a wild punch to his smug fucking face. Pavlo braced himself and swung a leg forward in a stomping motion as I neared, aiming for my chest.

My mind operated on autopilot and I dodged to the right and focused on summoning an unstable mass effect field around my right fist. In that split second I saw everyone recoil, eyes wide as they were illuminated in the purple glow of my aura. Pavlo's face melted as he realized what was happening, going from cocky and self assured to confused and finally to terrified but it was too late. The fury that had been bottled up in me for so long was out and unleashing it's wrath upon him. I almost felt like a spectator as I watched my fist crashed into the left side of his face, the unstable energy expelling outwards in a miniature nova that sent him flying sideways into the nearby wall.

And then it was over just as quick as it had started. He slumped, his head lolling like a rag doll before he slowly fell forward, coming to a rest in a sort of fetal position. My earlier surge of vindictive desire faded as I realized what I had done.

I might have just killed someone.

My mind began spinning, desperately trying to rationalize my actions while a small voice in the back of my head reminded me that I had technically already killed that batarian. Swallowing the lump in my throat I saw my classmates all backing away from me like I was going to attack them next. Wajiha stared at me wide eyed and fearful. When I made eye contact with me she blanched, and took a quick step away from me, looking anywhere but in my direction. My stomach dropped and I began to feel shame and fear creeping in. I had done something terribly wrong and I was going to pay dearly for it.

* * *

**Sargasso, Bekenstein, Boltzmann System, Serpent Nebula; April 22nd, 2572 [Standardized Terran Calendar], 1922 [Local Time, Terran Standard]**

"Are you just going to sit there and not say anything?" Livid wasn't how I would describe my Abuelo at this point. He had passed that a while ago. They might have to invent a new word for how upset he was. In some ways, he became even more focused and intense as his aggressive anger reached new heights. So I wasn't in any risk of being hit with anything but then again he also realized the entire situation revolved around my being attacked by a classmate earlier today. Probably a good idea to divorce violence altogether from the equation.

Pavlo was alive, thankfully, and going to make a full recovery. That was the good news. Unfortunately, I had dislocated and broken his jaw as well as smashed his cheek bone, He had a pretty nasty concussion and couldn't remember what had happened the entire morning which naturally led to my being blamed for the entire incident. At that point I had proclaimed my innocence, relatively speaking, and offered my omnitool and the eyewitness accounts of every student in the hallway and stairwell as evidence.

Once my accounting of the story had been established, the faculty wanted to know what had led to the altercation. Offering my omnitool earlier turned out to be a big mistake. By the time my grandparents arrived, Wajiha and her parents plus Pavlo's parents were all amassed to hear the gory details as the exchange of flirty and suggestive messages were read. I squirmed in my seat as I could feel the eyes of my Abuela burning into the side of my skull.

Wajiha was humiliated to the point of tears as her parents stared in shock at their daughter's obvious attempt to set up a sexual rendezvous. I also had the impression they were less than thrilled it was with a biotic. My grandparents were just as dumbfounded to realize the entire fiasco had evolved from a pair of teenagers exhibiting their hormonal urges to mate like wild animals. Pavlo's parents were incensed, proclaiming that their child had been dragged into the web of two deviant children but proof their little angel put himself smack in the middle shut them up rather quickly. Still it was pretty easy to see where he got his sense of entitlement from.

My Abuelo nearly had to restrain my Abuela when she learned the asshole had mocked the death of her daughter and son in law.

In the end the entire event was swept under the rug as MTrans and the CAA would not be informed of my usage of biotics. Pavlo's parent's were forced to withdraw their charges of assault in exchange for my grandparents not pursuing an assault charge against Pavlo. Everyone would pay for their own medical treatment and the academy would do their best to keep the two of us separated for the remainder of the school year.

I had suffered a broken nose and busted upper lip as well as a fractured metacarpal from the punch, all of which were treated at the local hospital in La Garza and would be healed within a week. What wouldn't go away in a week was the fact that my classmates, Wajiha included, were terrified of the unstable biotic farm kid from Mindoir now. And given my grandparent's reactions, my punishments were going to have a very lasting effect.

Abuelo stopped in his pacing and glared at me, drawing my attention to the halt in his movements. My grandmother sat on a sofa across the room, arms crossed and a frown on her face as she studied me. They both expected me to respond and not sulk but I knew the second I opened my mouth I would be ripped into no matter what I said. In fact, the combination of anger and dull throbbing pain from my head caused me to feel more and more defiant by the second. I didn't want to kill Pavlo but I also didn't feel the slightest bit guilty over paying him back for attacking me.

Openly challenging my grandfather, I met his eyes and asked, "What do you want me to say?"

"Sorry might be a start, you insolent bastard." Abuelo lashed out at me, just as I expected. Sorry? I wasn't sorry. Pavlo attacked me. He ran his mouth. I responded. He lost. End of discussion. Did he want me to be some meek coward and accept punishment and abuse from others? Or was he more worried about the societal implications of my actions? That others in Sargasso might talk about the biotic kid from Mindoir? Too late there, Abuelo. That's what started this in the first place.

Abuela Vivian stood immediately and got in her husband's face, shoving him back slightly away from me. She was furious at the both of us but was incensed to hear her husband call their grandson a bastard. "That is enough!" Abuelo Hector shook his head and stalked away, obviously upset but recognizing the fact he was losing his cool.

Being the smart ass teenager I was and given the emotional turmoil I was feeling, once again my mouth moved faster than my brain could keep up with. "Mom and Dad were married when they had me but your favorite, Lizzy, is an actual bastard."

It was a low blow to throw Lizzy into the mix like that but given her attitude since our parents died I wasn't happy with her either. I was tired of everyone picking on me. The stress and pestering and mocking because I didn't belong here or know what I wanted to do with my life and all I wanted to do was go home to Mindoir.

I had emphasized the word Dad to less than subtlety point out my knowing of what was happening in the house. The my father's memory was being torn to shreds. Sure, he wasn't perfect, but he didn't deserve the way they were treating him in death. Just like I didn't deserve it now.

Upon seeing my grandparent's shocked and angry expressions at my cruel remark I had a sensation of satisfaction. Enough to bring about a sarcastic addition, just to twist my grandfather's request from earlier in his face. I leaned back into the couch and smiled mockingly, shrugging and crossing my arms for added effect, "Sorry."

Abuelo's face took on a more red hue as he stomped towards me, hands raised and clenched like he wanted to punch me. I stood and prepared myself for a fight but before we got within arms reach of each other my grandmother shoved my shoulders, knocking me back into the sofa and waved a finger in my face, her expression almost demonic. "Watch your tongue, Luis. You're in enough trouble as it is without dragging others in." She whipped around to face her husband, still lecturing and gesturing, "And you. Unless you can discuss things without yelling or name calling then I suggest you leave the room."

He stared at her, just as shocked as I was at her forceful commanding of the situation. He looked even more enraged but was impotent in the face of his wife's firm stance and reminder, "I am not playing with you, Hector. You're not thinking this through rationally. This is your flesh and blood."

"And you still coddle him. He nearly killed a student, Vivian." He deflated, confused and betrayed by his wife. Staring at me over her shoulder with a critical eye for a moment, Abuelo shook his head and reaffirmed what I had known all along. "He's his father's son. Tainted. An aimless waste not worthy of our family. Nothing more and nothing less."

The rage I felt earlier in the stairwell blossomed yet again. I wasn't going to stand by and allow anyone to bully me or my father's memory. Not even my own grandfather. I jumped to my feet again, feeling my biotic aura flare on it's own and light the dimly lit room. I instinctively knew I had to control myself not to lash out with my fists or biotics. Instead I settled for yelling, my nose and lips throbbing. "Fuck you!"

I had to give him credit, Abuelo didn't even flinch. In fact, he took a step forward, daring me to strike out. Bellowing at the top of his lungs, he established his dominance in his own home "You're going to attack me too?" Gesturing with a wave of his arm at me, Abuelo turned to his wife and let his final thoughts on the matter be known. "He is gone from my house by this weekend, Vivian. I am not sheltering a wild beast like this under my roof. If you insist, you can keep it outside in one of the conservatories. Maybe it can farm the land there like the ass it seeks to emulate."

With that said he stormed out of the living room, not sparing a look back at either of us. My Abuela sagged and held her face in her hands, a heavy shuddering sigh rocking her shoulders. In the low light of the room she looked so much like her daughter, my mother and it made me feel conflicted over my recent actions. Not that I regretted them, but I didn't like the effect they had on her. My aura faded, leaving me dizzy and weak. The exhaustion, injuries and rapidly fluctuating emotions of the day were catching up to me.

She noticed the change in lighting and turned to look at me, wiping her eyes with a single hand before pinching the bridge of her nose and sighing. She gave a single monotone command, "Sit." When I didn't immediately comply, she dropped her hand from her face and stared at me, her eyes hard and devoid of warmth. "Now. You don't want everyone in this family being your enemy."

I dropped back into the sofa I always used, turning my head and staring out at the moonlight play across the waves of the Teves Sea. Crossing my arms and sighing, I filled the empty void of silence in the room, "I'm sick and tired of him saying things like that about my father."

Abuela Vivian seemed her age as she shuffled to the sofa opposite the one I occupied and sat on the edge. She stared at me for a moment, her own anger barely constrained in her gaze. When she finally spoke it was in a tone that made me shrink back in on myself in shame. "You swore to me that you would never use your biotics to harm another person. Do you remember that?"

Guilt gnawed at the rage within, cutting it down to size in no time at all. I couldn't look at her, knowing I had broken that promise. It had been subconscious, and even righteous, to use my biotics but not once had I given thought to remembering her request.

We sat there in silence for a while longer until she spoke again, this time not really acknowledging me. "You're so much like your father. Hector never approved of Albert. Hannah was his little girl and no one would ever be good enough for her and I think your father knew that. Hector could never deny her anything, though, and she always got what she wanted despite my protests otherwise. He spoiled her at times and I think he regrets that now. He feels guilt for her decisions that lead to her death. I think he fears seeing that in Ari and yourself"

I was transfixed at her seemingly non sequitur into family history but still didn't see the point. Abuelo was an asshole who hated my father and now wanted to take that hate out on me. Was she trying to defend him for his actions and treatment? "It still doesn't make it right."

She stared at me for a moment, actually digesting my presence. I could feel myself being measured by lawyer Vivian and found wanting. She slightly tilted her head to the side and spoke slowly, calmly "Maybe your grandfather was right. I am coddling you because you should know by now that nothing in life is fair or right." I felt a bit embarrassed at her statement. Abuela's gift in life was a way to say things and make you feel foolish but never angry with her. A truly motherly method of correcting you and having you almost want to beg for her forgiveness. Almost. She sagged and shook her head, frowning as she further observed me, "You really haven't adjusted to everything that happened and coming to live here, have you?"

"Just noticing that right now?" I was angry, but it wasn't with her. It was my own fault for running my mouth when she was making the effort to talk to me and find out what was wrong. I knew I was being a pain in the ass but this hurt. I didn't want to talk about it and I knew why. I could feel my eyes watering no matter how much I glared out the window and tried to summon anger and hate to dry them.

If Abuela was hurt by my comment she didn't show it. Instead she seemed more concerned and curious, demanding to be let in or have me open up. "You're never this rude or angry. What happened today?"

I squeezed my eyes shut, allowing a few tracks of tears to form on my cheeks. It was painful to think of how twisted the day had become. I had been riding an emotional high, possibly having someone interested in me only to have it crash into a burning wreckage of epic proportions. Clearing my throat I answered her around my tears, "You heard it earlier. I flirted with a girl and then that asshole attacked me."

"Being older I have seen my share of flirtation. There was hardly any flirting happening, I can assure you." Abuela drawled and sat back in her seat, folding her hands on her lap as she regarded me. "That girl was using you to find out what sex with a biotic would feel like. And that boy, Pavlo? What did he call you?"

A new wave of depression and shame washed over me at Abuela's statement. Of course she was right. Wajiha had never shown interest in me before today but suddenly she wanted to have sex with me? That was something out of a bad porno vid and my hormone addled teenage mind had refused to accept the obvious. That was a painful truth to acknowledge. I wasn't appealing to her, my biotics were. In fact, she might have been willing to have sex with me for my biotics despite my appeal, or lack thereof.

And my nickname? Mindy? Most everyone called me that because it was easier to remember than actually talking or getting to know me. But to be honest with myself, I wasn't exactly jumping at every chance to get to know my peers here in Sargasso either. Mumbling my answer, since I couldn't face her, too ashamed at how pathetic I really was. "Mindy."

Abuela frowned, clearly understanding the meaning, not just of the name but of the reasoning for saddling me with such a name. "As in Mindoir?" At my nod, she blew a loud breath out through her nose before digging in deeper, "And how long have the other students called you that?"

I shrugged, not at all interested in continuing this conversation. I knew I wasn't anything special but I didn't want to dwell on it. Abuela Vivian had other thoughts on the matter, making an observation that sparked my anger yet again. "Your sister doesn't have these problems..." She trailed off, noticing the visible fury her words created, the clenching of my fists and staring out the window with renewed hatred.

"And that's it, isn't it?" She seemed even more despondent than anything, seeing through my armor of vitriol and anger. She stood and crossed the distance between us, sitting next to me and taking my right hand. She leaned in, waiting for me turn to look at her. When I refused she reached out to grasp my chin gently and slowly turned my head so our teary eyes met. "Mijo, you're not inferior to your sisters. Is that what you think?"

The dam burst and a jumble of words and melancholy poured from me. "Everyone keeps telling me to be like Lizzy." I swallowed around a hiccup as I tried, futilely, to not sob."And Ari makes friends and fits in no matter where she goes. I'm the loser dumbass of the family. Like my father."

She wrapped her arms around me and hugged me, holding me close as I tried to swallow my tears. "Your are like your father." I flinched in her arms, pulling away but her arms tightened their hold as she continued, "But you're not him. When you were all young, your mother would vid chat with me all the time since we never had the opportunity to visit each other. She would ask for advice about the same thing you're going through. Your father never believed in himself. Always thought the worst. Afraid to try because he automatically assumed he would fail. And that is what destroyed their marriage."

I sat there for a moment, breathing in the scent of her hair and processing what she had said. It sounded plausible but I was still at a lost of what it all meant. I hated this feeling of being so weak and pathetic but I had no idea how to go about correcting it. "What am I supposed to do?" I winced as my voice sounded tiny, like a child's. This was embarrassing and I desperately hoped Ari wasn't listening in on this. Or worse, recording it.

Releasing me from her loving embrace, she grabbed my shoulders in her hands and held me at arms length. Smiling, Abuela spoke with optimism and confidence, obviously attempting to infuse me with her strength. "The same thing that I told all my children growing up. The same thing I told your mother to repeat to your father. Stop trying to be someone else or someone that others think you should be. Be yourself and find what makes you happy."

I thought about that for a moment. What made me happy? I didn't know. I couldn't even decide what I wanted to go to school for. I pleaded for clarity, still not sure what to do "But I don't know what that means. That's why I don't want to go to college."

Abuela reached out to run her fingers through my hair, lightly scratching my scalp but never losing her poise. She maintained her positive stance and buoyed my spirits, as confused as I was. "And that's fine. Your life isn't over because you're not following someone's schedule for success and happiness. If you do that then you'll only be following that person's path in life. Remember, be yourself. There are people my age who still haven't figured this out." She chuckled and looked off in the direction her husband went. "Your grandfather knows this, his own life isn't as neat and orderly as he likes to portray. He's been a maverick and walked off the beaten path many times but has the tendency to forget that when dealing with others." She looked back at me and rubbed my shoulders, "You have plenty of time to make brilliant decisions and recover from stupid mistakes, mijo. Just don't stop trying, that's all I ask of you."

It amazed me how she could still be so caring and concerned despite everything I had done today. I still wasn't sure she was correct about me being able to make something of myself, but it felt amazing to know that someone believed in me. This time, I initiated the hug as I squeezed her tight, murmuring softly in her ear. "Thank you, Abuela." My voice hitched as my sobs began anew. "I'm sorry."

Her body relaxed, as if she knew she had achieved one of her goals tonight. She rocked us both gently as she soothed me, "I know you are, mijo." Teasing me she pulled back and grinned "See? There's something you have that your sister's don't. Humility and empathy. Those will serve you well in life." She leaned forward and kissed my forehead before releasing me to stand up. Activating her omnitool, she checked the time and grimaced before glaring down at me, ominous looking with the dull orange glow on her attractive features. "Head upstairs. I don't want to see you until tomorrow morning. I have a lot of damage control to work through with your grandfather."

I nodded and stood, heading towards the staircase but was stopped when she pulled on my left wrist. Looking back at me, Abuela Vivian made herself abundantly clear about what would happen to me. "You're going to do a lot of groveling and apologizing tomorrow, do you understand?" I nodded quickly, no nonsense Vivian was back in the room. She released my wrist and nodded, her countenance lacking any visible sign of what she had planned for me. "Good, we'll be discussing what sort of repercussions and punishments you have coming your way tomorrow. You broke your promise about using your biotics. Now go. Levantate."

I scurried out of her sight and took the steps three at a time, dodging around the cleaning drone. I paused and frowned in front of my own door as I heard Ari try to stealthily close her own. Staring down the dark hallway towards her room I snarled, feeling violated. She had been listening in. Knowing I should have expected nothing less from her I mumbled pleasant things about nosy sisters and entered my room. Activating my omnitool to provide light I kicked off my shoes and threw myself on my bed, rolling over to stare at the ceiling.

Now that I was laying down I wasn't the least bit tired, in fact I was wide awake with a million things racing through my mind. The foremost being the idea my Abuela had planted in my mind. It didn't matter what others thought or wanted me to do. I needed to find my own place in life and to do that I needed to find what made me happy.

But what was that? And how long would it take to find it? I didn't want to be some bum living at home instead of working or going to school. How was I going to find inspiration between now and the end of the school year?

My mind brought up the one thing that would make me happier than anything else. Leaving this damn place. I was sick and tired of Bekenstein and my family's pressure.

"VI, Bring up the list of potential majors." I voiced my command to my omnitool and a set of forty potential fields of study I had compiled was displayed above in a haptic hologram. I shifted through the links and colleges with the best programs in those fields.

Even with my new found wisdom, nothing was grabbing my attention. No spark. No passion. No guiding light. I was still in the dark, figuratively and literally.

I lay there, the words and images bleeding together as I was not really focusing on what I was reading as I visited university websites. A flashing banner at the bottom of my screen caught my attention. An advertisement for the UNSC.

The United Nations Space Command. Humanity's military force.

Bored and curious I tapped the link and a vid began, displaying holos of soldiers in armor wielding rifles, our warships patrolling star systems and members of the various branches standing proudly in their uniforms. The vid ended with a holo of familiar planets with a slogan for each.

Defend Amaterasu. Defend Arcadia. Defend Bekenstein. Defend Benning. Defend Cygnus. Defend Eden Prime. Defend Elysium. Defend Harvest. Defend Jericho. Defend Mars. Defend Mindoir. Defend Qartaj Jadid. Defend Reach. Defend Shanxi. Defend Shunzhi. Defend Terra Nova. Defend Watson.

It ended with a holo the UNSC logo, a bird of prey with wings extended over Earth and the stylized A of the Systems Alliance in front.

Defend Earth. Defend Humanity.

The vid went black before asking in white block style lettering.

_'Would you like to know more?'_

I reached out and selected the link.

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**Codex Entry: Augmentation**

The standard progression of civilization for a sapient species is to develop technologies that master their environments and beyond. It is inevitable that such technologies would be used to master their own bodies. Because methods are varied and specific to the species, and in many cases the individual, the Council and associated governments have strict guidelines on what is acceptable when it comes to augmentation.

Augmentation can be divided into four separate disciplines that have overlap and interaction. Chemical, the enhancement of physiology through the means of introducing pharmaceuticals and synthetic hormones. Cybernetic, the implantation of devices and robotics to replace or supplement existing body structures. Genetic, the altering of DNA to increase baseline efficiency, regenerate organic structures and eliminate hereditary weakness. And extensions, the usage of external equipment that syncs with the body for enhancement.

The chemical method of enhancement is one of the oldest, often mastered by races well before they reach interplanetary or interstellar stages of advancement. The appeal of modern chemical enhancement is that the effects are precise and often temporary. Since body chemistry differs drastically between species the range and availability of chemical supplements varies. Medicinal variants are the most common, used to cure ailments, speed recovery and limit senescence. Governments classify chemical enhancements based upon their toxicity, dependence, practical use, and potential for misuse. Common types allowed to the public are steroids, stimulants, nootropics, and sedatives. Especially powerful versions with more permanent effects are authorized only for specific professions and only under medical supervision.

Cybernetic enhancement is by far the most widespread and diverse method. The classification is broken down further into three sub classifications of nanotech, bionic, and neural. Nanotech covers nanites and small devices implanted for convenience. Bionic covers synthetic implants that enhance or replace structures within the body. And neural covers devices that interface directly with the nervous system in some manner.

Nanotech consists of several categories of cybernetic implants, mostly divided between medical and interfacing technologies. Nanites are used in medical facilities and emergency medical kits to aid in surgery, infection treatment and health maintenance. Nanotech implants such as haptic sensors allow for the user to interact with haptic holographic technology without gloves. Hearing transmitter implants are used to provide transmission of communications directly to the organ responsible for processing hearing. The identitag implant contains important information such as detailed medical files, financial data and other personal records. Bio medical scanners help to monitor health conditions and can alert authorities if the user is incapable of calling for help in a medical emergency. Soldiers and those in high risk professions are implanted with trauma modules that assist in organizing the body's response to injury as well as coordinating the efforts of nanites.

Citizens in Council space are required to have an identitag and the majority opt to voluntarily receive other nanotech implants making it one of the most susceptible methods to steal information and sabotage another individual. Despite the widespread practice of nanotech, nanite handling is limited to licensed medical professionals and emergency medical kits. The potential for abuse is tremendous as the creation of weaponized or self replicating nanites is a serious offense according to the Citadel Charter.

Bionic implants refers to the replacement of internal organs or limbs with synthetic equivalents. The efficiency and availability of genetically cloned replacements makes synthetic replacement a relative rarity. In the rare case of extensive traumatic injury or the uncommon case of modern medicine being incapable of treating a disease, a synthetic replacement will be considered. Synthetic replacements are capable of performances that exceed even the most engineered organic alternative, but they place a higher level of stress on the body. Common bionic augmentation are: Standard sensory enhancement as well as more exotic features such as electroreception and magnetoreception; Lattice weaves to strengthen bone, muscle and softer external layers; Organ and limb replacement to increase function; and cosmetic implants for exotic illumination, texture, structure and coloration to the skin, hair, plates, eyes, crests, teeth and claws.

The practice of enhancing neural interaction is most associated with other facets of augmentation, primarily to extensions. Neural interfacing implants allow professionals in various fields to link with devices and equipment for telepresence. The practice is found readily in information technology, telecommunications, remote mining, military, piloting, medical, and electronic warfare. Biotic implants are another form of neural implant which enhances the user's nervous system to provide a stronger and more efficient ability to control the gift of dark energy manipulation. A third common form of neural implantation is internal data storage accessible via the user's mind and external devices. More advanced and experimental versions, commonly referred to as grayboxes, are heavily encrypted, hardened to electronic warfare, and is capable of greater information storage and transfer. The prevailing issue with neural implants is the danger in neurological trauma from a faulty or damaged implant which results in brain damage, erratic behavioral issues, and degraded sensory ability.

The Council gives more latitude to associate governments in how they manage and implement genetic treatments. Every species within Council space has laws in place that dictate how genetic research and activity is conducted based upon moral and social concerns, with emphasis on discrimination, enhancement, property and cloning. Examples of these laws are the Systems Alliance's Mortal Dictata, Illuminated Primacy's Enkindler Vision, Turian Hierarchy's Meritus Legatum Act, and Salarian Union's Clan Endowment Laws. These laws prohibit the unauthorized cloning of an individual, give proprietary rights to individuals over their genetic code, prevent individuals or corporations from owning genetic templates to sapient species, and experimentation which might lead to the creation of mutated strains of sentient species.

The usual practice of genetic augmentation is to eliminate hereditary weakness in a species. This is typically expressed in negating diseases, defects, and flaws in the initial developmental phases. Parents are forbidden in Council space from engineering the appearance and capabilities of their offspring beyond approved augmentation packages. This is to avoid infringing upon the rights of the unborn child and avoiding the introduction of potentially dangerous genetic mutations into the population. The second most common form is cloning of organs and limbs to replace those damage or destroyed. This requires strict medical supervision as the cloning of any sapient genetic template without consent of the individual for purposes other than medical is a crime. Another form in which approved genetic mutation occurs is for approved professions, although these augmentation packages merely maximize potential and are forbidden from enhancing individuals beyond normal capabilities of the species.

By any measure, tools of all kinds could be considered an extension, allowing sapients to perform tasks they could not normally do or perform those they can more efficiently. The modern practice of extension technology revolves around the interfacing of the body with equipment to enhance capability. The usage is not invasive but does work in conjunction with other forms of augmentation, primarily cybernetic technology. One of the most common methods of extension augmentation is the piloting of vehicles. By using neural and nanotech implants a user is capable of interfacing with vehicles in a manner that drastically increases reaction time and precision. This technology is seen frequently in attack craft, exoskeletons, and remote operations requiring telepresence.

Another key area of extension augmentation is undersuits meant for athletic, professional and combat activities. These suits are designed to perform as an unpowered, lightweight and skintight exoskeleton that assists the user in increasing physical capabilities slightly while reducing stress and exertion. More advanced models are considered power armors and feature increased capabilities with additional protection. Like weaponry, the sales and use of basic or advanced model undersuits is for licensed and trained individuals only.

The fields of augmentation are always expanding with new technological breakthroughs but the Council is ever aware of the potential for abuse. While many feel their decisions are too cautious, the wild and largely lawless Terminus is a haven for illegal and experimental modification of all kinds. If one has the credits, connections and desire to travel to unsavory parts of the galaxy, then nearly any augmentation process is possible.

* * *

**Codex Entry: Biofoam/Medigel**

The twin wonders of Biofoam and Medigel are a relatively recent addition to the galaxy, having been created by humans following the Relay 314 Incident/First Contact War. Credit for their creation goes to Sirta Foundation's Optican subdivision, which had been contracted by the UNSC to create a more effective means to treat injuries on the battlefield under any conditions. The end result was a mixture of general anesthetic, antimicrobial agent, coagulent polymer resin, simple amino acids, and nanite solution.

Medigel and Biofoam differ slightly in composition but their general purpose remains the same. The mixture is applied via injector until it seals the wound. The coagulent polymer resin expands greatly once released from the pressurized injector. With the wound sealed and blood loss halted, the antimicrobial and anesthetic work to cleanse the wound and dull pain. Concurrently with those processes the nanites begin aiding the healing and regenerative process by aiding in assembling the amino acids into cellular structures identical to the user's genetic template.

Despite the illusion of immediate relief and stabilization, the wound itself is not healed instantly. The accelerated regeneration still takes several hours at which point the coagulent polymer resin begins to flake and break away, revealing healthy tissue with minimal to no scarring.

The difference in medigel and biofoam is a matter of severity. Medigel is meant to heal minor flesh wounds and stabilize more severe ones. It is available to the public without a prescription or certification and contained in small injection dispensers. It sees use in households, businesses, and battlefields across the galaxy.

Biofoam, however, is restricted to medical professionals, trained emergency responders, and military forces. The injector is a larger tube with an adjustable and flexible lengthy nozzle. It is designed to stabilize more traumatic injuries, thus the mixture is heavier on anesthetic and coagulent. The nozzle is inserted into the wound and the pressure release on the tube activated, flooding the wound and body cavity with the mixture to hold organs, tissue, bone and ligaments in place. As biofoam is only used in the most grievous of injuries it is still imperative that further medical treatment is sought for the injured individual as the accelerated regenerative process of biofoam will not be enough to repair the complexity of damage done.

Due to the chirality issues of levo and dextro based species, the Sirta Foundation quickly developed a dextro brand of their products for the turian military and public, although the quarian Migrant Fleet purchases this product as well.

The Council was initially skeptical of allowing the sale of medigel but public pressure allowed the Sirta Foundation to obtain a patent and license for the product in the civilian market. The major concerns where the usage of nanites to clone tissue based upon an individual's genetic template. While it was obvious that the intent of such cloning was far from malicious, the Council did not wish to set precedent. With a minor rewriting of the Citadel Charter it was decreed that the purchase and use of medigel for private emergency use was agreement to temporarily waive your individual proprietary rights to your genetic template and allow cloning to occur without the supervision of a trained professional.

It should be noted that while medigel and biofoam are revolutionary methods to treat injury they are not fool proof nor do they solve every medical emergency. Broken bones, torn tendons, serious infections, heavy blood loss, poisoning, severe burns, and neurological damage will not be treated with any efficiency by either product. It is strongly stressed that if you are afflicted with such injuries or ailments that you alert authorities and seek immediate assistance from a trained medical professional or VI system.

* * *

**Codex Entry: Omnitool**

Business. Communications. Diagnostics. Education. Entertainment. Finance. Information. Media. Manufacturing. Public Service. Research. Workstation.

These are the myriad of applications for haptic holographic interactive technology, mobile quantum computing power, virtual intelligence and optical data storage intersecting to create the modular instrument known as an omnitool.

The small devices are created by several manufacturers across the galaxy with the same modular design and many third party vendors providing additional hardware and software options. The tool is housed in a standard wristband worn on the non dominant, or offhand, arm. Exotic custom models are built into more extravagant housing like jeweled bracelets, chronometers or clothing. Power is provided via solid oxide fuel cells but can be supplemented with modular solar, wireless, and vibration additions.

Regardless of manufacturer an omnitool functions in four modes: Offhand; Dominant hand; Combination; and Stealth. The user selects the preferred mode for immediate activation as well as quick switch selections for secondary mode.

The offhand mode creates a haptic interface extending from the wristband to the offhand. This mode of interface is used for simple manual manipulation with the offhand.

The dominant hand mode creates a more complex user interface across the forearm of the offhand. This interface typically incorporates a haptic keyboard or other desired peripheral inputs.

Combination mode incorporates both offhand and dominant hand. This is the preferred method of use for more involved and specialized work without reliance upon VIs.

Stealth mode creates a barely visible haptic holographic interface of the user's preprogrammed choice. The user is typically familiar with the layout of the haptic interface so as to not require visual cues to interact with the device.

Standard in every omnitool are media capture and playback technologies as well as the ability to pair with civilian grade implants and equipment such as identitags, datapads, terminals, kiosks, medical scanners, security checkpoints, earpieces, eye wear, personal vehicles, personal weapons and home appliances. The device will act as a transaction intermediary between a device requesting information from identitags or medical implants allowing for convenient identification, payment and notification services. An omnitool registered to a recognized citizen will be given free access to data networks across Council space and aboard vessels. In exchange these omnitools are monitored and used to quickly dispense information to the public. Access to private or official networks is dependent upon clearance and registering with the entity operating the network. Official language translation packs are preloaded and will activate in a manner of the user's choosing.

The modular design of the omnitool creates a wealth of additional options. Sensory and scientific packages allow for advanced testing and readings. Advanced medical units assist in the diagnosis and treatment of the owner or another. Mini fabrication units produce small and simple objects. Sophisticated VI suites provide a multitude of software options ranging from military to educational to business to even criminal enterprises.

As an omnitool is an incredibly personal device, laws pertaining to the theft, hacking or misuse of an omnitool are harsh. As the name might suggest, an omnitool is truly capable of nearly anything sapients can think of. The flexibility and intimate nature makes an omnitool an extension of the sapient experience, putting the full possibilities of galactic civilization at your haptic implant fingertips.


End file.
